TheOrobii(alsoOrobi,OromobiorOrumbovii) were aCelto-Liguriantribe dwelling around present-dayComoandBergamoduring theIron Age.
Name
editThey are mentioned asOrobiibyCato the Elder(early 2nd century BC).[1]
The ethnic nameOrobiiappears to be of Celtic origin. It can be compared with theGaulishnounorbioi(sing.orbios), meaning 'the heirs', with the feminine formsOrobiaandUrbia(earlier *Orbia), the ancient names of theOrge riverandOrge stream,and with the i-stemOrobis,now theOrb river.[2]
Some classical writers such asPliny the Elderthought that their name was of Greek origin, tracing the etymology from the GreekOrōn bion(Ορων βιον).[3]
Geography
editThe Orobii dwelled between the modern cities ofComoandBergamo.TheSottoceneriwas part of their area of influence.[1]
Their territory was located north of theGallianates,Bromanenses,andAnesiates,east of theSubinatesandAusuciates,west of theGennanates,TrumpliniandCamunni,south of theAneuniates.[4]
History
editModern archaeologists and linguists see the Orobii as a population ofCelticizedLigures,or Celtic-Ligures, formed with the contribution of Celtic immigrants from theRhineand theDanubeareas in an early historical period, before the Gallic invasions of the 4th century BC.[5][6]
Pliny the Eldersays they founded the cities ofComo,Bergamo,Licini Forum,andParra.[7]
Culture
editLike theLepontiiandInsubres,the Orobii are associated with the archaeologicalGolasecca culture.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcVietti 2008.
- ^Delamarre 2003,p. 243.
- ^C. Cantù,Storia di Como e sua provincia,Como, 1859.
- ^Talbert 2000,Map 19 Raetia; Map 39: Mediolanum.
- ^M. Gianoncelli, "Vecchie e nuove ipotesi sulla stirpe degli Orobi", inOblatio;A. Noseda ed, Como, 1971.
- ^R. de Marinis, "La civiltà di Golasecca", inLa Lombardia,Jaka book, 1985.
- ^Pliny the Elder,Naturalis Historia, III, 124-125.
Bibliography
edit- Delamarre, Xavier(2003).Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental.Errance.ISBN9782877723695.
- Talbert, Richard J. A.(2000).Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World.Princeton University Press.ISBN978-0691031699.
- Vietti, Gianluca (2008). "Orobi".Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz.047242/2008-10-17.
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