The Celtic Tribes of Italy… Cisalpine Gaul VS Rome
Who were the Celtic tribes of Italy? When you think of Italy, you would be forgiven for immediately thinking of the Roman Empire and Latin culture in general. In fact, arguably the most famous Roman, Julius Caesar, completely wiped out the home of Celtic civilization in the ancient world, Gaul. But Celts have played their part in the history of Italy.
This is Cisalpine Gaul, an area around the Alps in the north of modern Italy. Cisalpine means "on this side of the Alps" (from the perspective of the Romans), as opposed to Transalpine Gaul (meaning "on the far side of the Alps"). It was an area that was inhabited by Celtic tribes most of which were originally from Gaul, an area centred around modern France, particularly in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. But how did Cisalpine Gaul form?
Well it formed over centuries. In fact, one of the oldest Celtic languages that has left us inscriptions to this today is the Lepontic language, which was spoken in parts of modern Switzerland and Northern Italy from around 550 BC until around 100 BC. It was spoken by an ancient Celtic people known as the Lepontii who lived around the Alps. This people seemed to be one of the earliest Celtic people that we know about that settled this area. Another Celtic tribe to settle this area early on were the Insubres, an ancient Celtic population who settled in what is now the Italian region of Lombardy. They were the founders of the ancient city of Mediolanum, modern-day Milan. Other Celts would soon follow however.
Various Celtic tribes migrated from Gaul and across the Alps to eventually settle near the mouth of the Po River in Italy around 400 BC. The Lingones were one of those ancient Celtic tribes, an agricultural people known for their skill in metalworking and in weaving. Other Celtic tribes that entered Italy in this wave of migration included the Cenomani, the Boii and the Senones. As well as settling in Cisalpine Gaul, the Boii had a presence in various other parts of Europe. The Senones had led Celtic tribes in the sack of Rome around 390 BC under their leader Brennus, but they soon fell back north to the northeast of modern Italy. They ousted the Italic people known as the Umbrians in the process.
Celtic History Decoded - What Does Celtic Even Mean? From the Ancient Celts to the Celtic Nations of Today • What Does Celtic Even Mean? From the Ancie...
Who were the Celtic tribes of ancient Italy? When you think of Italy, you would be forgiven
for immediately thinking of the Roman Empire and Latin culture in general. In fact, arguably
the most famous Roman, Julius Caesar, completely wiped out the home of Celtic civilisation
in the ancient world, Gaul. But Celts have played an epic part in the history of Italy.
This is Cisalpine Gaul, an area around the Alps in the north of modern Italy. Cisalpine
means on this side of the Alps, from the perspective of the Romans, as opposed to Transalpine Gaul,
meaning on the far side of the Alps. Cisalpine Gaul was an area that was inhabited
by Celtic tribes, particularly in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, who were originally
and most part at least from Gaul, the home of Celtic civilisation that was centred in
modern France. But how did Cisalpine Gaul form? Well, it
formed over centuries. In fact, one of the oldest Celtic languages that still left us
inscriptions to this day is the Lepontic language, a language that was spoken in northern Italy
and Switzerland, these ancient places, from around 550 BC until around 100 BC. It was
spoken by an ancient Celtic people known as the Leponti, who lived around the Alps. They
seemed to be one of the earliest Celtic peoples to settle in this area. Another ancient Celtic
people to settle in this area early on were known as the Insubres, an ancient Celtic population
who settled in what is now the Italian region of Lombardy. They were the founders of the
ancient city of Mediolanum, modern day Milan. Other Celts would soon follow however.
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Various Celtic tribes migrated from Gaul and across the Alps to settle in the north of
Italy near the Po River in around 400 BC. The Lingones were one of those people, known
as agricultural people, that were skilled in metalworking and weaving. Other tribes
that came over in this wave of Celtic migration from Gaul over the Alps to settle in what
became known as Cis-Alpine Gaul included the Senomane, the Boi, and the Senonese. As well
as settling in Cis-Alpine Gaul, the Boi had a presence in various other parts of Europe.
The Senonese had led Celtic tribes in the sack of Rome around 390 BC under the leader
Brennus, but they soon fell back north to the north-east of modern Italy. They ousted
the Italic people, known as the Umbrians, in the process.
This concentration of Celtic tribes in the north of Italy meant that this whole region
became known as Cis-Alpine Gaul, or Celts on this side of the Alps. Between 224 and
220 BC, the Roman Republic conquered this area, and the territory was geographically
considered part of Roman Italy, although administratively it was considered separate. When Hannibal
invaded Rome in 218 BC, many Celts rebelled and joined his force, and Rome lost control
of Cis-Alpine Gaul. They soon recovered this territory, however, in the subsequent decades.
When Rome finally conquered the Celtic Ansubres and Boi tribes between 198 and 191 BC, by
around 81 BC, Cis-Alpine Gaul was considered a Roman province. Then in 49 BC, all inhabitants
of Cis-Alpine Gaul received Roman citizenship, and then in 42 BC, Cis-Alpine Gaul became
part of Roman Italy proper. Despite going on to be part of Roman Italy,
the Celtic history of this region, the epic Celtic history of this region, speaks to the
history of the Celts in so many parts of Europe. But what does Celtic even mean? To find out,
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