Caraceni (tribe)
Caraceni, also spelled Carricini or Caricini, were an Italic tribe that belonged to the Samnite confederation. They inhabited the northwestern part of ancient Samnium, in southern Italy, and were progressively integrated into the Roman Republic, particularly during the Second Samnite War in the early 3rd century BCE.[1]
Name and Etymology
[edit]The ethnonym Caraceni (or Carricini) may derive from the Celtic root *carreg* or *car-* meaning "rock" or "stone", possibly reflecting the rugged terrain of their mountainous homeland.[1]
Territory
[edit]According to Ptolemy, the Caraceni inhabited the northernmost part of Samnium, along the upper valley of the Sagrus river (modern Sangro), bordered by the Peligni and the Frentani.[2] Their principal settlements are thought to have included:
- Aufidena, their chief town, identified with modern Castel di Sangro based on inscriptions and archaeological findings.[3]
- Juvanum, located between present-day Torricella Peligna and Montenerodomo, likely the center of the "Carricini supernates", the northern subgroup.[4][5]
- Cluviae, associated with remains at Piano Laroma, a frazione of Casoli, probably the center of the "Carricini infernates" to the south.[6][7]
History
[edit]The Caraceni were part of the Samnite tribal confederation and fought against Rome in the Samnite Wars during the 4th and early 3rd centuries BCE.[8] Their territory likely came under Roman control around 310 BCE, during the Second Samnite War.[1]
By the time of the Social War (91–88 BC), the Caraceni had undergone significant Roman influence and, like many other Italic peoples, rebelled as part of the broader effort to obtain Roman citizenship rights. After the war, they were incorporated into the Roman municipal system, probably through the extension of Latin rights and the granting of municipal charters during the early 1st century BCE.[9] As Salmon observes, by this period the Caraceni had become sufficiently Romanized to accommodate Roman administrative structures within their local institutions.[10]
Archaeology
[edit]Excavations at Juvanum have revealed notable architectural remains, including a forum, basilica, and temples. Inscriptions and artifacts attest to a gradual process of Romanization, coexisting with enduring local religious traditions, including a likely sanctuary dedicated to the Dioscuri.[11] Morelli interprets the coexistence of Samnite and Roman elements as evidence of negotiated cultural integration rather than abrupt transformation.[12]
Ancient Sources
[edit]The Roman historian Joannes Zonaras mentions the Caraceni in connection with a difficult campaign led by consuls Q. Gallus and C. Fabius, although the historical details remain uncertain.[13] Pliny the Elder refers to a group called the "Carentini" among the Frentani, possibly the result of textual corruption or a reference to a related local group.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Salmon, E. T. (1995). Il Sannio ed i Sanniti. Torino: Einaudi.
- ^ Ptolemy, Geography 3.1.66.
- ^ Smith, W. (1854). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, vol. 1, p. 236.
- ^ Morelli, F. (2024). "Culto e romanizzazione a Juvanum", in Considerazioni su Juvanum. Rivista del Centro Studi Juvanum, 12(1), pp. 19–21.
- ^ Salmon 1995, p. 89.
- ^ Morelli 2024, pp. 23–25.
- ^ Salmon 1995, pp. 83–84.
- ^ Livy, Ab urbe condita 9.31.
- ^ Bispham, E. (2007). From Asculum to Actium: The Municipalization of Italy from the Social War to Augustus. Oxford University Press, pp. 67–70.
- ^ Salmon 1995, p. 177.
- ^ Morelli 2024, pp. 27–30.
- ^ Morelli 2024, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Zonaras, Epitome Historiarum 8.1.
- ^ Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 3.12.17.