Galli

Galli is a term with multiple historical, linguistic, and onomastic uses. It appears in ancient and modern contexts to denote different groups, concepts, and names.

In antiquity, Galli (the plural of Gallus) referred to the Gauls, the Celtic peoples who inhabited regions of Western Europe known to Romans as Gallia. The Gauls lived in areas that correspond roughly to modern-day France, Belgium, western Germany, and parts of northern Italy. In Latin literature, the term Galli is used to designate these peoples, and later became associated with the Roman province and cultural sphere of Gaul.

In Roman religious practice, the Galli were eunuch male priests of the Phrygian goddess Cybele, also known as Magna Mater. They played a significant role in the cult’s rites within the Roman world, adopting distinctive dress and ritual practices. Their existence and status are discussed in ancient sources and modern scholarship on Roman religion.

In Latin, gallus means a rooster or cock, and galli is the plural form. Thus, the word can appear in classical texts referring either to roosters or, depending on context, to the Gauls.

Galli is also an Italian surname. It is borne by individuals and families across Italy and among Italian diaspora communities. The name may derive from a locality, a nickname, or historical associations with Gaul or with the Latin term for roosters.

Today, Galli may be encountered in historical, linguistic, onomastic, or genealogical discussions, and as a personal surname.