Historical region of southern Italy; part of the Roman Republic/Empire
For other uses, see Samnite (disambiguation).
Map of ancient Samnium
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Samnite Wars
First Samnite War
Mons Gaurus
Saticula
Suessula
Second Samnite War
Neapolis
Imbrinium
Caudine Forks
Lautulae
Lake Vadimo
Bovianum
Third Samnite War
Tifernum
Camerinum
Sentinum
Aquilonia
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Roman expansion in Italy
Roman–Etruscan Wars
Roman-Aequian wars
Roman–Latin wars
Roman–Volscian wars
Roman conquest of the Hernici
Samnite Wars
Pyrrhic War
Cisalpine Gauls
Social War
Roman–Sabine wars
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Latin War
Latin league
Samnium
Battle of Vesuvius
Battle of Trifanum
Battle of Pedum
Samnium (Italian: Sannio) is a Latin exonym for a region of Southern Italy anciently inhabited by the Samnites. Their own endonyms were Safinim for the country (attested in one inscription and one coin legend) and Safineis for the people.[1] The language of these endonyms and of the population was the Oscan language. However, not all the Samnites spoke Oscan, and not all the Oscan-speakers lived in Samnium.
Ancient geographers were unable to relay a precise definition of Samnium's borders. Moreover, the areas it included vary depending on the time period considered.[2] The main configurations are the borders it had during the floruit of the Oscan speakers, from about 600 BC to about 290 BC, when it was finally absorbed by the Roman Republic.
The original territory of Samnium should not be confused with the later territory of the same name. Rome's first Emperor, Augustus, divided Italy into 11 regions.[3] Although these entities only served administrative purposes, and were identified with the sole numeral, by scholarly convention the Regio IV has been dubbed "Samnium". Ancient Samnium had actually been divided into three of the Augustan regions.[4]
^Salmon 1967, p. 28.
^Salmon 1967, p. 23. "The boundaries of Samnium, as of any other country, varied at different times in its history. No ancient writer has left a precise and accurate description of them."
^Listed in the Descriptio Italiae, lost to moderns, but serving as the basis of Pliny the Elder's description of Italy.
^IV, II ("Apulia et Calabria"), and I ("Latium et Campania").
Samnium (Italian: Sannio) is a Latin exonym for a region of Southern Italy anciently inhabited by the Samnites. Their own endonyms were Safinim for the...
century, and also drew in the peoples to the east, north, and west of Samnium (land of the Samnites) as well as those of central Italy north of Rome...
Menas of Samnium (Latin: Sanctus Menna Samnii) is a 6th-century hermit venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. The primary source for details of...
Samnites (Oscan: Safineis) were an ancient Italic people who lived in Samnium, which is located in modern inland Abruzzo, Molise, and Campania in south-central...
considering suing for peace. As a result, both Roman consuls marched on Samnium and concentrated their operations there. Quintus Fabius defeated the Samnites...
were told that if they spoke in Samnium they would never leave there alive; consequently, the Senate declared war on Samnium. In a casting of lots as to which...
well, and led by the Latins a large army of these allied peoples invaded Samnium. In 337 BC the Sidicini declared war on the Aurunci, and defeated them...
Great, who had imprisoned Felix's predecessor, John I. Felix came from Samnium, the son of Castorius. He was elected after a gap of nearly two months...
Mars instead of Mamers. Bulls had symbolic connections to the military in Samnium. The Hirpini believed that they were guided by a wolf to their land. Hence...
Amiternum, and that this dialect closely resembled the Oscan of Lucania and Samnium, though presenting some peculiarities of its own, which warrant, perhaps...
resources further. They gave up the attempted alliance and settled with Samnium. The Romans were only biding their time while they looked for a solution...
formation of a peace treaty with Rome in 354. Once these threats were removed, Samnium expansion brought them into conflict with Rome's growing influence in central...
– 22 September 530 (4 years, 72 days) St Felix IV FELIX Quartus c. 490 Samnium, Kingdom of Odoacer 36 / 40 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy...
adjective meaning "having to do with ancient Samnium." Samnite may also refer to: Samnites, the people of ancient Samnium Samnite (gladiator type), a gladiator...
et Calabria Campania Corsica Lucania et Bruttii Picenum Suburbicarium Samnium Sardinia Sicilia Tuscia et Umbria Valeria Diocese of Annonarian Italy Alpes...
Campania Regio II Apulia et Calabria Regio III Lucania et Bruttium Regio IV Samnium Regio V Picenum Regio VI Umbria et Ager Gallicus Regio VII Etruria Regio...
et Calabria Campania Corsica Lucania et Bruttii Picenum Suburbicarium Samnium Sardinia Sicilia Tuscia et Umbria Valeria Diocese of Annonarian Italy Alpes...
the Romans commit to war against the Samnites. Fulvius invades central Samnium and defeats a Samnite army near Bovianum. He then captures Aufidena and...
but was unable to bring Fabius to battle, so he decided to march through Samnium to Campania, one of the richest and most fertile provinces of Italy, hoping...
was finally lost during the Second Samnite War when, prior to invading Samnium, the Romans found it necessary to secure the border tribes. After the war...
Alternative name Ostia Aterni Location Modern-day Italy (Pescara) Region Samnium Type Settlement and port History Founded Before 4th century BC Cultures...
p. 152. Flower 2010, p. 25. Flower 2010, p. 39. Salmon, E. T. (1967). Samnium and the Samnites. Cambridge University Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-521-06185-8...
extended from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Gulf of Taranto. It bordered with Samnium and Campania in the north, Apulia in the east, and Bruttium in the south-west...
inscriptions from Gaul, several come from the towns of Beneventum and Aeclanum in Samnium, indicating that the Ignii were likely descended from the Samnites, or...
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