preRoman

Pre-Roman is a historical term used to describe the period and peoples of a region before the expansion of Roman political and cultural influence. It covers societies that either did not speak Latin or were not governed by Roman institutions, and it predates the adoption of Roman law, language, and urban infrastructure. Because the timeline varies by region, “pre-Roman” is used in archaeology and ancient history to distinguish those eras from the subsequent Roman period and the processes of Romanization.

In the Italian peninsula, the pre-Roman period includes several cultures preceding the rise of Rome, such as the Villanovan culture in central-northern Italy and the early non-Latin settlements that later formed the Etruscan and Latin cities. Greek colonization in Magna Graecia also falls into the pre-Roman frame in southern Italy, though interactions with Rome began early.

In Iberia, pre-Roman cultures include Tartessos, the Iberians, and Celtiberians, with some of their writing systems (Iberian and Tartessian scripts) surviving in inscriptions prior to Roman conquest. In Gaul and the British Isles, the term covers the late Iron Age and protohistoric societies, including various Celtic tribes and monumental sites, followed by Romanization after conquest. Sardinia’s Nuragic civilization is another notable pre-Roman culture.

Material remains—settlements, burial practices, metalwork, pottery, and megalithic structures—are primary sources for these periods, especially where writing is sparse. The term helps scholars study regional identities and the processes by which Roman rule and Latin language transformed local cultures.