iitalici

iitalici is a term that refers to the italic peoples of ancient Italy. These groups, who spoke various Italic languages belonging to the Indo-European family, inhabited the Italian peninsula from around the 10th century BCE. Prominent among these were the Latins, who eventually gave their name to Latium and Rome, the Samnites who inhabited the Apennine mountains, and the Umbrians and Volscians. Other Italic groups included the Falisci, Hernici, Marsi, Paeligni, and Sabine peoples.

The Italic peoples were primarily pastoralists and farmers. Their social structures were often tribal, with a strong emphasis on kinship and warrior traditions. Over centuries, these groups engaged in both conflict and cooperation with each other and with other inhabitants of Italy, including the Etruscans and various Greek colonies. The rise of Rome, a Latin city-state, was a pivotal event that eventually led to the assimilation and conquest of most other Italic peoples. Through military campaigns and political alliances, Rome gradually extended its influence and control, incorporating the Italic populations into its growing republic and later empire. The Italic languages eventually declined, largely replaced by Latin, though traces of them are preserved in place names and linguistic influences.