The Nemeturii (Gaulish *Nemeturioi, 'the inhabitants of nemetons') or Nemeturi were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the Alpes Maritimae during the Iron Age.

Name

They are mentioned as Nemeturicae by Columella (1st c. AD),[1] and as Nemoturica and Nematuri (var. nemet-) by Pliny (1st c. AD).[2][3]

The ethnic name Nemeturii is a latinized form of Gaulish *Nemeturioi. It derives from the stem nemeto-, meaning 'sacred place, sanctuary',[3] and can be translated as 'the inhabitants of sacred places'.[4]

Geography

The Nemeturii dwelled in the upper Verdon or Var valley.[5] Their territory was located east of the Eguiturii, west of the Ecdinii, north of the Vergunni and Nerusii, and south of the Savincates and Caturiges.[6]

History

They are mentioned by Pliny the Elder as one of the Alpine tribes conquered by Rome in 16–15 BC, and whose name was engraved on the Tropaeum Alpium.[7]

References

  1. ^ Columella. De Re Rustica, 12:22.
  2. ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:137, 12:24:1.
  3. ^ a b Falileyev 2010, s.v. Nemeturii.
  4. ^ de Bernardo Stempel 2006, p. 46.
  5. ^ Barruol 1969, p. 382.
  6. ^ Talbert 2000, Map 16: Col. Forum Iulii-Albingaunum, Map 17: Lugdunum.
  7. ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:20.

Primary sources

  • Pliny (1938). Natural History. Loeb Classical Library. Translated by Rackham, H. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674993648.

Bibliography

  • Barruol, Guy (1969). Les Peuples préromains du Sud-Est de la Gaule: étude de géographie historique. E. de Boccard. OCLC 3279201.
  • de Bernardo Stempel, Patrizia (2006). "From Ligury to Spain: Unaccented *yo > (y)e in Narbonensic votives ('gaulish' DEKANTEM), Hispanic coins ('iberian' -(sk)en) and some theonyms". Palaeohispanica. 6: 45–58. ISSN 1578-5386.
  • Falileyev, Alexander (2010). Dictionary of Continental Celtic Place-names: A Celtic Companion to the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. CMCS. ISBN 978-0955718236.
  • Talbert, Richard J. A. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691031699.
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