The Segusini (

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, ...

: *''Segusinoi'', 'those of Segusio') were a Gallic tribe dwelling around present-day

Susa Susa ( ) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh River, Karkheh and Dez River, Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital o ...

, in the Alpes Cottiae, 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 ''Segosianō̃n'' (Σεγοσιανῶν)

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

(early 1st c. AD), as ''Segousianō̃n'' (Σεγουσιανῶν)

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

(2nd c. AD), as ''Segusinorum'' on the Arch of Susa, and as ''Segusinae'' on an inscription., s.v. ''Segusini''. The

ethnonym An ethnonym () is a name applied to a given ethnic group. Ethnonyms can be divided into two categories: exonyms (whose name of the ethnic group has been created by another group of people) and autonyms, or endonyms (whose name is created and used ...

''Segusini'' is a latinized form of

*''Segusinoi''. It means 'the people of Segusio', itself from the root ''sego''- ('victory, force').

Geography

The Segusini dwelled in the valley of the Duria, around Segusio (modern

). Their territory was located east of the Medulli and Belaci, south of the Acitavones, and west of the Iemerii and Taurini., Map 17: Lugdunum. Their chief town, Segusio, controlled the route over Mont Genèvre and served as the gateway into the Italian Peninsula. Segusio possessed

Latin law Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area around Rome, Italy. Through the expansion o ...

probably from the time of

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

(27 BC–14 AD) and was a ''

municipium In ancient Rome, the Latin term (: ) referred to a town or city. Etymologically, the was a social contract among ('duty holders'), or citizens of the town. The duties () were a communal obligation assumed by the in exchange for the privileges ...

'' from the time of

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...

(54–58 AD). It was conquered by Constantinus in 312 AD.

History

They are attested on the Arch of Susa, erected by Cottius in 9–8 BC.

References

Primary sources

Bibliography

* * * * * {{Authority control Historical Celtic peoples Gauls Ancient peoples of Italy History of Piedmont