Editing Marsi

{{Short description|Italic tribe in Ancient Italy}}
{{about|the Italic people|the Germanic people|Marsi (Germanic tribe)|other uses|}}
The '''Marsi''' were an [[Italic peoples|Italic people]] of [[Roman Italy|ancient Italy]], whose chief centre was [[San Benedetto dei Marsi|Marruvium]], on the eastern shore of [[Fucine Lake|Lake Fucinus]] (which was drained in the time of [[Tunnels of Claudius|Claudius]]). The area in which they lived is now called [[Marsica]]. They originally spoke a language now termed [[Marsian language|Marsian]] which is attested by several inscriptions.

==History==

The Marsi were first mentioned as members of a [[Confederation|confederacy]] with the [[Vestini]], [[Paeligni]] and [[Marrucini]].<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} cites: [[Livy]] viii. 29, cf. viii. 6, and [[Polybius]] ii. 24, 12.</ref> They joined the [[Samnites]] in 308&nbsp;BC,<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} cites: Liv. ix. 41.</ref> and, on their submission, became allies of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] in 304&nbsp;BC.<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} cites: Liv. ix. 45.</ref> After a short-lived revolt two years later, for which they were punished by the loss of territory,<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} cites: Liv. x. 3.</ref> they were readmitted to the Roman alliance and remained faithful down to the [[Social War (91–87 BC)|Social War]], their contingent<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} states: e.g. Liv. xliv. 46.</ref> being always regarded as the flower of the Italian forces.<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} states: e.g. [[Horace]] ''Odes'' ii. 20, 18.</ref>

The Latin colony of [[Alba Fucens]] near the northwest corner of the lake was founded in the adjoining [[Aequi]]an territory in 303 BC so that, from the beginning of the 3rd century, the Marsians were in touch with a Latin-speaking community, to say nothing of the Latin colony of [[Carsioli]] farther west. The earliest pure Latin inscriptions of the district seem to be [[Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum|C.I.L.]] IX 3827 and 3848 from the neighbourhood of Supinum; its character generally is of the [[Gracchi|Gracchan]] period, though it might be somewhat earlier.

In the [[Social War (91–87 BC)]] which, owing to the prominence of the Marsian rebels, is often known as the Marsic War, they fought bravely against odds under their leader [[Quintus Poppaedius Silo|Q. Pompaedius Silo]] and, though they were frequently defeated, the result of the war was the enfranchisement of the allies. All the coins of Pompaedius Silo have the Latin legend "Italia", while the other leaders in all but one case used [[Oscan]].<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} cites: ''Unteritalische Dialekten'', p. 345.</ref>

==Religion==

The sanctuary of [[Lucus Angitiae]], the chief temple and grove of the goddess [[Angitia]] stood at the southwest corner of Lake Fucinus, near the inlet to the tunnel of [[Claudius]] and the village of [[Luco dei Marsi]]. Angitia was widely worshipped in the central highlands<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} cites: Sulmo, C.I.L. ix. 3074, ''Furfo Vestinorum'', ibid. 3515</ref> as a goddess of healing, especially skilled to cure serpent bites by charms and the herbs of the Marsian woods, which was carried out by local inhabitants until modern times.<ref>{{harvnb|Conway|1911}} states: see A de Nino's charming collection of ''Usi e costumi abrusszest''.</ref> Their country was considered by Rome to be the home of witchcraft.<ref>see Hor. ''Sat.'' i, 9, 29, Epod. 17, 28, &c.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Marsus (disambiguation)]], Latinisation of the name ''Marsi''
* [[Umbrian language]]

==References==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Conway |first=Robert Seymour |authorlink=Robert Seymour Conway |year=1897 |title=The Italic Dialects Edited with a Grammar and Glossary |url=https://archive.org/details/italicdialectsed02conw |location=Cambridge |publisher=University Press |pages=289–299}}

;Attribution
*{{EB1911|first=Robert Seymour |last=Conway |wstitle=Marsi |volume=17}} Endnote:
**{{cite book |first=R. S. |last=Conway |authorlink=R. S. Conway |title=The Italic Dialects |pages=290 seq}} (from which some portions of this article are taken; on the Fucino-Bronze, ''ib.'' p.&nbsp;294)

{{Italic languages}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Marsi| ]]
[[Category:Socii]]
[[Category:Ancient Abruzzo]]
[[Category:Marsica]]