Map of the Alpine and Ligurian Tribes, c.200-15 BC

It is likely that the large-scale incursions into Italy by Celtic tribes between about 600-200 BC greatly disturbed the existing non-Celtic tribes in the Alpine region and on the Italian plains to their south and east.

These tribes together formed just a few large groups: the Euganei, Ligurians, Raeti, Veneti, and Vindelici. Their origins are confused, poorly-recorded by ancient authors, and subject to a good deal of debate by modern scholars. They likely include pre-Indo-European baseline elements which had developed during the Neolithic period, when farming had reached the lowlands from South-Eastern Europe.

Then they would have received some level of influence between about 2500-1500 BC by West Indo-Europeans, largely in the form of proto-Italic groups prior to a large number of these progressing southwards into peninsular Italy. The heavily-dominating Celtic influence came in the last half of the first millennium BC, followed in the first century BC by Roman domination which eventually submerged any individual Alpine or Ligurian identity.

In between the Celtic intrusion and Roman dominance, however, was a period of slow disruption and integration. The Ligurian tribes of the western Alps, between Lake Geneva and Nice, were gradually converted into Celto-Ligurians. The northernmost Raeti tribes were dominated by the Ligurian Vindelici to form a Liguro-Raeti mix, while the southern Raeti - Camunes and Trumpilini - appear to have taken on Euganei influences to become a Euganei-Raeti mix.

Quite possibly, some Celtic tribes to the east of the Raeti - the Ambisontes and perhaps tribes of the Noricum - could have picked up a Celto-Raeti mix. The situation was pretty confused and was always changing.

A clickable version of this map is available for desktop displays.

To select a state, tribe, or territory for further information, click on its name or anywhere within its borders.

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Iberian Tribes 300 BC

Alpine & Ligurian Tribes 200-15 BC

Gaul 100 BC