Taurini

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Peoples of Cisalpine Gaul 391-192 BC.

The Taurini were an ancient Gallo-Ligurian[1] people, who occupied the upper valley of the river Po, in the centre of modern Piedmont.

History

As a people they are rarely mentioned in history. Both Livy (v. 34) and Strabo (iv. p. 209) speak of the country of the Taurini as including one of the passes of the Alps. According to Pliny the Elder, they were mostly farmers and collectors of pine nuts.

In 218 BC, they were attacked by Hannibal, who had allied with their long-standing enemies the Insubres. Their chief town (Taurasia, perhaps located in Turin's modern borough of Vanchiglietta) was captured by Hannibal's forces after a three-day siege.[2]

An Roman colony was established in 27 BC in their territory, with the name Castra Taurinorum and afterwards Julia Augusta Taurinorum (modern Turin).

See also

References

  1. Livy XXI, 38: Taurini semigalli.
  2. Polybius iii. 60, 8

Sources

  • Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainLua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.