Campanians
Encyclopedia
The Campanians were an ancient Italic people, part of the Osci
nation, speaking an Oscan language
.
Descending from the Apennines the proto-Osci settled in the areas of present day Campania
at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC
, or even before. They established themselves there over a previous Italic population of possible Latino-faliscan
origin.
From the 7th to the 5th century BC, Greek colonists submitted or expelled them from the area but, starting from the mid of the 5th century BC, the Osci reconquered many cities on the coasts of present day Province of Caserta
, Naples
and Low Latium
as also most of the inland. Amongst those reconquered cities there were Cumae
(taken from the Greeks) and Capua
(from the Etruscans).
From the Greeks and the Etruscans the Osci learnt of the institution of the Polis
soon differentianting themselves from the akin people of the Samnites so much that, in the 4th century BC, the Osci invoked the help of Rome against the menace of the samnitic expansionism
.
The name Campanians, used by the Romans from the 5th century BC, apparently comes from that of Capua
, the leading city of the Capuan League, one the oscan main polities
. It was used to designate both the inhabitants of the city itself and those of the other federated cities. The surrounding territory was known as Ager Campanus.
During the Roman imperial age, consequently to the Augustan administrative reorganization of the Italian peninsula, the concept of Campania
(the "Land of the Campani") was extended far beyond its original limits up to encompassing a much larger territory enclosed inside the southern part of the Regio I Latium et Campania.
Osci
The Osci , were an Italic people of Campania and Latium adiectum during Roman times. They spoke the Oscan language, also spoken by the Samnites of Southern Italy. Although the language of the Samnites was called Oscan, the Samnites were never called Osci, or the Osci Samnites...
nation, speaking an Oscan language
Oscan language
Oscan is a term used to describe both an extinct language of southern Italy and the language group to which it belonged.The Oscan language was spoken by a number of tribes, including the Samnites, the Aurunci, the Sidicini, and the Ausones. The latter three tribes were often grouped under the name...
.
Descending from the Apennines the proto-Osci settled in the areas of present day Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC
1st millennium BC
The 1st millennium BC encompasses the Iron Age and sees the rise of many successive empires, and spanned from 1000 BC to 1 BC.The Neo-Assyrian Empire, followed by the Achaemenids. In Greece, Classical Antiquity begins with the colonization of Magna Graecia and peaks with the rise of Hellenism. The...
, or even before. They established themselves there over a previous Italic population of possible Latino-faliscan
Latino-Faliscan languages
The Latino-Faliscan languages are a group of languages that belong to the Italic language family of the Indo-European languages. They were spoken in Italy. Latin and Faliscan belong to this group....
origin.
From the 7th to the 5th century BC, Greek colonists submitted or expelled them from the area but, starting from the mid of the 5th century BC, the Osci reconquered many cities on the coasts of present day Province of Caserta
Province of Caserta
The Province of Caserta is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Caserta. The former royal palace of Caserta is located near to the city.It has an area of 2,639 km², and a total population of 879,342...
, Naples
Province of Naples
The Province of Naples is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital city is Naples, within the province there are 92 Comuni of the Province of Naples.-Demographics:...
and Low Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
as also most of the inland. Amongst those reconquered cities there were Cumae
Cumae
Cumae is an ancient Greek settlement lying to the northwest of Naples in the Italian region of Campania. Cumae was the first Greek colony on the mainland of Italy , and the seat of the Cumaean Sibyl...
(taken from the Greeks) and Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
(from the Etruscans).
From the Greeks and the Etruscans the Osci learnt of the institution of the Polis
Polis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
soon differentianting themselves from the akin people of the Samnites so much that, in the 4th century BC, the Osci invoked the help of Rome against the menace of the samnitic expansionism
Samnite Wars
The First, Second, and Third Samnite Wars, between the early Roman Republic and the tribes of Samnium, extended over half a century, involving almost all the states of Italy, and ended in Roman domination of the Samnites...
.
The name Campanians, used by the Romans from the 5th century BC, apparently comes from that of Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
, the leading city of the Capuan League, one the oscan main polities
Polity
Polity is a form of government Aristotle developed in his search for a government that could be most easily incorporated and used by the largest amount of people groups, or states...
. It was used to designate both the inhabitants of the city itself and those of the other federated cities. The surrounding territory was known as Ager Campanus.
During the Roman imperial age, consequently to the Augustan administrative reorganization of the Italian peninsula, the concept of Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
(the "Land of the Campani") was extended far beyond its original limits up to encompassing a much larger territory enclosed inside the southern part of the Regio I Latium et Campania.
Bibliografia
- Giovanni Pugliese Carratelli, Italia, omnium terrarum alumna, Officine grafiche Garzanti Milano, Garzanti-Schewiller, 19901