Peucetii

The Peucetii were an ancient Italic people who inhabited the southeastern peninsula of Italy, known today as the Salento region, in the modern-day Italian region of Apulia. They were one of the three main Messapian tribes, alongside the Calabri and the Sallentini, who collectively occupied the Salento peninsula. The Peucetii were distinct from their northern neighbors, the Apuli, though ancient sources sometimes conflated the groups.

Their territory was centered around the city of Barium, modern-day Bari, and extended southwards. Archaeological evidence, including necropolises and fortifications, indicates a settled agricultural society with distinct cultural practices. Their language, a Messapian dialect, was part of the broader Indo-European family but with unique characteristics. The Peucetii engaged in trade with other Mediterranean cultures, particularly the Greeks, which influenced their material culture. They are mentioned by classical authors such as Strabo and Pliny the Elder.

The Peucetii, along with the other Messapian tribes, were eventually conquered by the expanding Roman Republic in the 3rd century BCE. Their distinct identity gradually merged with the Roman culture, and their language eventually died out. Today, their legacy is primarily preserved through archaeological finds and historical records.