Samnites

A group of Italians who lived in central Italy in ancient Italy. They were mountain people who spoke the Oscitan language and were known for their bravery. They competed with Rome for supremacy. They migrated from the mountains to the fertile plains and came into contact with Greek culture. The Campanians and Lucanians were derived from them. As the power of the Etruscans in Campania declined, they became powerful and conquered Campania. Although their national unity was loose, they were divided into four tribal states, each governed by a medix (magistrate), and united in times of war. They allied with Rome when the Gauls invaded Italy in the mid-4th century BC, but later became enemies with Rome, and after the three Samnite Wars (343-341 BC, 326-304 BC, 298-291 BC), Rome's supremacy was established. During and after the war, the Romans built colonies on their lands at a remarkable rate, and they gradually lost their political voice. With a few exceptions, they remained loyal to Rome from the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) to the War of the Leagues (91-88 BC), but their lands were devastated by the repeated wars, and after their defeat in the War of the Leagues, they were completely annexed to Rome.

[Hasegawa Hirotaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代イタリアで、中部イタリアに住んだイタリア人の一派。オスキ語を使用し、勇猛さで知られた山岳民族で、ローマと覇権を争った。山地から肥沃(ひよく)な平地を目ざして移動し、ギリシア文化に触れた。彼らのなかからカンパニア人、ルカニア人が派生する。カンパニアにおけるエトルリア人の勢力の退潮とともに強力となり、カンパニアを制圧した。国家的結合は緩かったが、四つの部族国家に分かれ、それぞれメディクス（政務官）が統治し、戦時には一致して事にあたった。紀元前4世紀中ごろのガリア人のイタリア侵入に際してローマと結んだが、その後ローマと敵対し、3回のサムニウム戦争（前343～341、前326～304、前298～291）のすえ、ローマの覇権が確立する。戦中・戦後の彼らの土地へのローマの植民地建設も目覚ましく、しだいに政治的発言権も失われてゆく。二、三の例外はあるが、第二ポエニ戦争（前218～前201）から同盟市戦争（前91～前88）に至るまでほぼローマに忠実であったが、たび重なる戦争のためその土地は荒廃し、同盟市戦争で敗れたのち完全にローマに繰り入れられた。

［長谷川博隆］

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