Samnium
Samnium is a historical region located in the mountainous southern Apennines of central Italy, known for its early inhabitants, the Samnites. This group is believed to have called themselves by a name derived from the root "Safin" and is thought to be an offshoot of the Sabines. The Samnites, recognized by the Greeks and Romans for their formidable warrior culture, organized themselves into towns and villages within four tribal units or cantons, forming a loose confederation that appointed a commander during times of war.
Throughout their history, the Samnites engaged in several conflicts with Rome, known as the Samnite Wars, occurring between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. Despite initial alliances and victories, including a notable triumph at the Caudine Forks, the Samnites ultimately faced defeat, leading to their gradual loss of territory in southern Italy. Their involvement in significant historical events continued as they allied with foreign invaders like King Pyrrhus of Epirus and Hannibal during the Second Punic War. The Samnites also played a crucial role in the Social War, a rebellion against Roman authority. However, their fortunes declined following their defeat by Sulla during the civil war, marking the end of their prominence in the region.
Subject Terms
Samnium
A mountainous region in the southern Apennines of central Italy
Its inhabitants, known to the Greeks and Romans as the Samnites, probably called themselves by a name based on the root `Safin’—and were regarded as an offshoot of the Sabines. The longest inscription of their Oscan language (of Indo-European structure) is the Tabula Agonensis, a list of deities found near Bovianum Vetus (Boiano?—not, as was once thought, Pietrabbondante, where a large town has been uncovered). A warlike and relatively primitive people, they dwelt in towns and villages grouped in four tribal units or cantons; the cantons were loosely linked together in a confederation, which appointed a commander-in-chief in time of war.
Common fear of the Gauls brought the Samnites into an alliance with Rome in 354 BC, but three unsuccessful wars against its armies soon followed. The First (343–341), of which the historical authenticity has been treated with undue scepticism, gave the Romans control of northern Campania. The Second (326–304), despite a lull after a massive victory by the Samnites at the Caudine Forks (321), finally eliminated them altogether from southern Campania, Lucania and Apulia. The Third War (298–290), despite a Samnite alliance with Gauls and Umbrians, was virtually won in 295 by the Romans' success at Sentinum (near Sassoferrato); this engagement decided the fate of all peninsular Italy. Nevertheless the Samnites were able to offer some help to the invasions of King Pyrrhus of Epirus (280–275) and Hannibal (in the Second Punic War 218–201), and played a prominent part in the Italian rebellion known as the Social War (91–87). Subsequently, they supported the successors of Marius in their civil war against Sulla, who butchered them during and after his victory at the Colline Gate (82).