The Acitavones were a small
Gallic tribe dwelling in the Alps during the
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Acitavones'' (
var. ''agitabo''-) by
Pliny (1st c. AD),
[ Pliny. ''Naturalis Historia'']
3:20
and as ''Acitavones'' on the
Tropaeum Alpium.
[, s.v. ''Acitavones''.]
The etymology of the name ''Acitauones'' is unclear. The first element, ''acito''-, could mean 'field' (cf.
Old Irish
Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...
''ached'', ''achad'')'','' or else be a variant of ''agido''- ('face, appearance').
Geography
According to historian
Guy Barruol, they may have dwelled in the
Aosta Valley
The Aosta Valley ( ; ; ; or ), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, is a mountainous Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Fr ...
, near the
Little St Bernard Pass
The Little St Bernard Pass (French: ''Col du Petit Saint-Bernard'', Italian: ''Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo'') is a mountain pass in the Alps on the France–Italy border. Its saddle is at 2188 metres above sea level. It is located between Sa ...
. Their territory was located north of the
Medulli
The Medulli (Gaulish: ''Medulloi'') were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper valley of Maurienne, around present-day Modane (Savoie), during the Iron Age and Roman period.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Medullorum'' by Vitruvius (late 1st c. BC) ...
and
Segusini
The Segusini (Gaulish: *''Segusinoi'', 'those of Segusio') were a Gauls, Gallic tribe dwelling around present-day Susa, Piedmont, Susa, in the Alpes Cottiae, during the La Tène culture, Iron Age.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Segosianō̃n'' (Σε ...
, south of the
Veragri, west of the
Salassi
The Salassi or Salasses were a Gallic or Ligurian tribe dwelling in the upper valley of the Dora Baltea river, near present-day Aosta, Aosta Valley, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Name
They are mentioned as ''dià Salassō̃n'' (δ� ...
, and east of the
Ceutrones
The Ceutrones (or Centrones) were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the Tarantaise Valley, in modern Savoie, during the Iron Age and Roman period.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Ceutrones'' by Caesar (mid-1st c. BC), ''Keútrōnes'' (Κεύτρωνε� ...
.
[, Map 17: ]Lugdunum
Lugdunum (also spelled Lugudunum, ; modern Lyon, France) was an important Colonia (Roman), Roman city in Gaul, established on the current site of Lyon, France, Lyon.
The Roman city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus, but cont ...
.
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.
References
Primary sources
*
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
Historical Celtic peoples
Gauls
Tribes in pre-Roman Gaul
Ancient peoples of Italy
{{Society-stub