The Orobii (also Orobi, Oromobi or Orumbovii) were a Celto-Ligurian tribe dwelling around present-day Como and

Bergamo Bergamo ( , ; ) is a city in the Alps, alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from the alpine lakes Lake Como, Como and Lake Iseo, Iseo and 70 km (43 mi) from Lake Garda, Garda and Lake ...

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 ''Orobii'' by

Cato the Elder Marcus Porcius Cato (, ; 234–149 BC), also known as Cato the Censor (), the Elder and the Wise, was a Roman soldier, Roman Senate, senator, and Roman historiography, historian known for his conservatism and opposition to Hellenization. He wa ...

(early 2nd century BC). The ethnic name ''Orobii'' appears to be of Celtic origin. It can be compared with the

Gaulish Gaulish is an extinct Celtic languages, Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, ...

noun ''orbioi'' (sing. ''orbios''), meaning 'the heirs', with the feminine forms ''Orobia'' and ''Urbia'' (earlier *''Orbia''), the ancient names of the Orge river and , and with the i-stem ''Orobis'', now the Orb river. Some classical writers such as

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

thought that their name was of Greek origin, tracing the etymology from the Greek ''Orōn bion'' (Ορων βιον).

Geography

The Orobii dwelled between the modern cities of Como and

. The Sottoceneri was part of their area of influence. Their territory was located north of the Gallianates, Bromanenses, and Anesiates, east of the Subinates and Ausuciates, west of the Gennanates, Trumplini and Camunni, south of the Aneuniates.

History

Modern archaeologists and linguists see the Orobii as a population of Celticized

Ligures The Ligures or Ligurians were an ancient people after whom Liguria, a region of present-day Northern Italy, north-western Italy, is named. Because of the strong Celts, Celtic influences on their language and culture, they were also known in anti ...

, or Celtic-Ligures, formed with the contribution of Celtic immigrants from the

Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...

and the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

areas in an early historical period, before the Gallic invasions of the 4th century BC.

says they founded the cities of Como,

, Licini Forum, and Parra.

, Naturalis Historia, III, 124-125.

Culture

Like the Lepontii and Insubres, the Orobii are associated with the archaeological Golasecca culture.

References

Bibliography