The Libicii (or Libui, Libii) were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the Camargue region during the Iron Age.
Name
editThey are mentioned as Lebékioi (Λεβέκιοι) by Polybius (2nd c. BC),[1] Libui by Livy (late 1st c. BC),[2] Libii and Libiciorum by Pliny (1st c. AD),[3] and as Libikō̃n (Λιβικῶν) by Ptolemy (2nd c. AD).[4][5]
According to Patrizia de Bernardo Stempel, the ethnonym Libikoi could derive from an earlier *lubhikoi ('the loving ones'; from Gaulish lubi 'love') with pretonic vowel assimilation (u...i > i...i).[6]
A homonym tribe is documented in northern Italy (see Libicii (Cisalpine Gaul)). This may be the result of migrations from southern France.[7]
Geography
editTheir territory was situated west of the Anatilii and Avatici, south of the Volcae Arecomici and Cavari.[8] The ora Libica mentioned by Pliny refer to the western Rhône delta (Petit-Rhône), that is to say the Camargue region.[9] According to historian Guy Barruol, they were part of the Saluvian confederation.[10]
An oppidum with Latin Rights given by Pliny as Libii was probably the name of their chief town.[9]
References
edit- ^ Polybius. Historíai, 2:17:4.
- ^ Livy. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, 5:35:1-2.
- ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:124; 3:37.
- ^ Ptolemy. Geōgraphikḕ Hyphḗgēsis, 3:1:32.
- ^ Falileyev 2010, s.v. Libicii.
- ^ de Bernardo Stempel 2000, p. 107.
- ^ Barruol 1969, p. 159.
- ^ Talbert 2000, Map 15: Arelate-Massalia.
- ^ a b Barruol 1969, pp. 192–193.
- ^ Barruol 1969, pp. 187–188.
Bibliography
edit- 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 (2000). "Ptolemy's Celtic Italy and Ireland: A linguistic analysis". In Parsons, David N.; Sims-Williams, Patrick (eds.). Ptolemy: Towards a Linguistic Atlas of the Earliest Celtic Place-names of Europe. CMCS. pp. 83–112. ISBN 978-0952747833.
- 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.