The so-called West
Indo-European
tribes arrived at the eastern edge of central
Europe around
2500 BC. Their northern group became the
proto-Celts of the
Urnfield culture while the southern group seemingly migrated
westwards and southwards, reaching Illyria and northern
Italy.
Already divided further into semi-isolated tribes, they became more
civilised in habits and technologies due to contact with southern
Greeks and
Etruscans.
In the eleventh to eighth centuries BC, some of those groups in
Illyria crossed by sea into the Italian peninsula and settled along
the south-eastern coast. Those in the north Italian piedmont gradually
migrated southwards to occupy much of the rest of eastern and central
Italy. These tribes all formed part of a general group called
Italics.
The Sabini (or Sabines) were a group of Italics who, during the Iron Age,
were located in the mountainous country to the east of the River Tiber,
in western central Italy. They were neighboured to the north by the
Umbri and
Picentes, to the east by
the Vestini and
Paeligni, to the south by
the Marsi, to the south-west
by the Latins, and to
the west by the Etruscans.
The Oscan-Umbrian group of which the Sabini were part are largely
accepted as being Indo-Europeans (perhaps proto-Celts) who migrated
into the peninsula from the north. They settled in communities high in
the Apennines. According to Cato, their first village was called
Festrina, which was located not far from their later, bigger, settlement
of Amiternum. It seems that the Latins also originally settled here but
were pushed out by the Sabini. Dionysius cites one Xenodotus of Troezene
to show that the Sabini were a division of the 'Ombrici' or Umbri, who
were driven from Reate to Festrina by the Etruscans, which is where they
established themselves as the Sabini. This would tie in with the general
trend of early Etruscan gains at the expense of the Umbri.
Their
language came from the Oscan-Umbrian group of Indo-European languages
(P-Italic), which were widely spoken in Iron Age central and southern
Italy before the rise to dominance of Latin (Latin itself was a slightly
more distantly related language, coming from the Indo-European Latino-Faliscan
group, or Q-Italic). The Aequi were thought to be a division of the
Opici (or at least their
Ausones stem), and therefore very
closely related to the neighbouring Sabini. Strabo and Pliny, along with other
ancient writers, claim the Aequi, Hernici, Sabini, and
Volsci as divisions of the
Sabellians and therefore of the older Opici or Ausones. According to Strabo,
the Picentes were former Sabini who had migrated northwards, following their
ritually-selected animal the woodpecker as they sought out a new homeland,
while the Samnites, also
former Sabini, migrated south where they dominated the Apennine range.
Ovid also claims the Paeligni as a branch of the Sabini.
(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information by Edward
Dawson, from Researches into the Physical History of Mankind,
Vol 3, Issue 1, James Cowles Prichard, from An Historical Geography
of Europe, Norman J G Pounds (Abridged Version), and from
External Link: Geography, Strabo (H C Hamilton & W
Falconer, London, 1903,
Perseus Online Edition).)
Sabus
Son of Sancus. Eponymous founder figure of the Sabini.
c.11th century BC
Lista, the 'metropolis' of the early
Latins,
is destroyed by the Sabini of Amiternum in a night attack. The
inhabitants are never able to recover it and are seemingly forced westwards
by the event, into the territory of the
Siculi around the River Tiber.
If true, this event which is taken from Varro and which is supported by
Portius Cato would seem to mark the arrival of the Latins in the territory
in which Rome would later be founded. The Sabini from Amiternum settle their
newly-conquered Reatine territory, inhabiting the largest settlement in the
region, which is called Cotyna, or Cotylia. They send out colonies which
build many settlements in the neighbouring regions, and they also found the
city of Cures.
8th century BC
By this time, the Sabini occupy territory between the
River Teverone (Latin Anio, modern Aniene), which forms a border with the
Romans,
and the settlement of Nursia (modern Norcia), high in the Apennines. Two cities that lie
nearest the Roman border are Eretum and Cures, while Varia lies on the
Teverone. The biggest settlement is Reate (modern Rieti) on the River Velino
(approximately midway between Nursia and Rome), and the many substantial
satellite settlements in the region of Reate include Interocrea, Amiternum,
Foruli, Cutilae, and Trebula Mutuesca.
? - 748 BC
Titus Tatius
Sabine king of Cures. Joint ruler
of Rome
(753-748 BC).
753 BC
The city of Rome
is built and many landless and homeless men settle in it, swelling the nascent
population. The city's founder, Romulus, raids the neighbouring Sabine tribes
for women, which sparks war between the two. The (possibly legendary) Sabine ruler, Titus Tatius,
storms the city and battle is joined, but thanks to the intervention of the
Sabine women themselves, the two agree peace terms. The Sabines share Rome,
settling on the Quirinal, and the two kings rule jointly, also doubling the
size of the Senate and the early legions. This union creates a split in the
Sabine tribes. The Sabines of Rome become fully integrated into the growing
city, while those in the mountains continue to oppose the city's growth and
increasing domination of the region.
The Sabine Women, painted by Jacques-Louis David, depicts the
intervention of the captured Sabine women in the fighting
between Sabines and Romans
748 BC
Tatius is killed by the Latin inhabitants of Lavinium out of revenge
for his sheltering of allies who have plundered that settlement.
This ends the joint kingship of
Rome
and Romulus continues to rule alone. Tatius' daughter is Tatia, and she
marries Numa Pompilius, thereby giving him a legitimate claim to the Roman
throne. Tatius' successor in Cures is unknown, but his unnamed son is a
possibility.
748 - 717 BC
Having already subdued the Alban colony of the Camerini with
Tatius, over the course of the next thirty years, Romulus goes on to expand
Rome's territory. He conquers the
Etruscan town of
Fidenae, and defeats the Crustumini, but his rule grows increasingly
dictatorial. Eventually it seems that he is killed by the weary Senate, with
the deed being hidden by claiming that Romulus has ascended to heaven.
716 BC
Following the untimely death of the founder of
Rome,
the Sabine Numa Pompilius is elected to be his successor
after a year of deliberation by the Senate. His reign of forty-four
years is relatively peaceful, in contrast to the frequent wars of expansion
of Rome's earliest years.
c.660s/650s BC
King Tullus Hostilius of
Rome
goes to war against the Sabini. The cause seems to be little more than an
excuse, with Hostilius claiming that Roman merchants have been seized at a
market while the Sabini claim in return that some of their people are being
detained in Rome. The Sabini gain the help of volunteers from the
Etruscan
city of Veii, although no official support is forthcoming. In a battle in
the forest of Malitiosa, the larger and stronger forces of Hostilius,
augmented by Alban units, scatter the Sabini and inflict heavy casualties on
them as they retreat.
c.650 - 550 BC
Umbrian graves
excavated in 1997 can be dated to this period. An ancient necropolis with
at least thirty-six burials is discovered in the modern city of Terni, north of
Rome.
The graves contain an equal mix of men and women, along with a couple of
children, and grave good include
Etruscan bronze bowls, and Etruscan bucchero and Sabine-Faliscan
pottery.
c.586/585 BC
Livy
describes how Tarquinius Priscus is preparing to construct a wall around
Rome when the Sabini
attack. The engagement is bloody but inconclusive and the Sabini withdraw
to their encampment. A second battle is fought the next day, this time with
Rome bringing up a much stronger force which ultimately breaks the Sabini,
inflicting great slaughter on their number, many of whom drown in the River
Teverone. With the conflict now escalating, Tarquinius proceeds into Sabini
territory and inflicts another defeat on fresh forces. The Sabini sue for
peace and relinquish control of the town of Collatia (nothing of which
remains today).
This map shows the greatest extent of Etruscan influence in
Italy, during the seventh to fifth centuries BC, including the
Campania region to the south (click on map to view full sized)
505 BC
Again it is Livy who records fresh conflict between the Sabini and the
now-republic of
Rome.
Again the Sabini come off second best, and the two Roman consuls of this
year celebrate a triumph in Rome.
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus is appointed dictator of the Sabini, who
play a leading part in the fresh conflict that erupts against
Rome. The Fidenates (of the former
Etruscan town of
Fidenae) and Camerians (of the settlement of Cameria) are brought in to assist
them. The allied army marches on Rome and is stopped at the River Teverone
(Latin Anio, modern Aniene). A planned night attack by the Sabini is leaked
to the Romans, and turns into a Sabini massacre. Tarquinius manages to
escape but his campaign (and presumably his dictatorship of the Sabini)
comes to an end.
486 BC
The Hernici, who live between the Aequi and
Volsci, have become highly
adapted to Latin culture and customs. Under pressure from their two
neighbours, they join the mutual protection treaty between the
Romans
and Latins. The armies defending Latium now consist of Romans, Latins and
Hernici. The Aequi and Volsci remain allied in opposition to Rome. As time passes and the
Roman alliance grows more essential to survival,
the Hernici are absorbed into Latin culture and largely vanish as a
separately identifiable people.
449 BC
Rome
defeats the Sabini and Aequi in two battles, as recorded by Livy. This
seems to be the first appearance of the Aequi, suggesting that the Sabini
have further divided in the half century since the dictatorship of Tarquinius.
Such division and fragmentation is common in Iron Age
Italy
in tribes that are repeatedly defeated by Rome - the
Opici
are a prime example of this effect. The Sabini themselves are seemingly so
shattered by this latest defeat that they remain virtually unheard of
thereafter.
431 - 377 BC
The
Volsci control
much of southern Latium (Cora, Velitrae, Satricum, and Antium), and they
continue to pressure the Latins. In addition, the Aequi are said to reach
Rome
itself, and a decisive battle between the Latins and the Volsci appears to
be fought in this year. The Romans, under the command of A Postumius
Tubertus, again meet the Aequi at the Algidus Pass, but this time they are
victorious. With this victory the Romans are able to open an aggressive
offensive which the Volsci are unable to withstand forever. By the 390s the
Romans and Latins have regained control of the plains and have relegated the
Aequi and Volsci to the western highlands. The Volsci are finally defeated
with the capture of the port of Antium in 377 BC. The defeated Aequi are
doomed to be destroyed within the century.
304 BC
Following the final defeat of the
Samnites at the end of the
Second Samnite War against
Rome, and the Roman
destruction of the Aequi, the
Frentani,
Marsi,
Marrucini, and
Paeligni voluntarily accept
their reintegration into Roman administrative rule.
The Sabini settlement of Reate (modern Rieti) was founded by the
Sabini and prospered under Roman control to survive into the
modern age
303 - 290 BC
Rome
consolidates its hold over the central Apennines by founding colonies at
Sora and Alba Fucens (on the Aequi frontier with the
Marsi) in 303
BC, and Carseoli in 298 BC. A short-lived revolt by the neighbouring Marsi
in 302 BC results in the loss of some of their territory to Rome, but in 290
BC the Sabini themselves are thoroughly conquered and are granted civitas
sine suffragio.
268 BC
The Sabini are granted full
Roman
citizenship. Thereafter, they are gradually absorbed within Roman
Italy
and lose their individual identity. Elements of their language survive
integration and are later evident in Latin, amounting to perhaps a hundred
words, while no Sabini inscriptions survive. The Via Salaria, the Roman
'Salt Way', is built to link Rome to Reate and the Adriatic coast on the
other side of Italy. During the
Lombard period in the sixth century AD, Reate continues to be an
important town within the duchy of
Spoleto.
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