The Brixentes or Brixenetes were a Celtic or Rhaetian tribe living in the Alps during the

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...

and the

Roman era In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...

Name

They are mentioned as ''Brixentes'' (var. ''-xenetis, -xenetes'') by

Pliny Pliny may refer to: People * Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE), ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of ''Naturalis Historia'' (''Pliny's Natural History'') * Pliny the Younger (died 113), ancient Roman statesman, orator, w ...

(1st c. AD),

. ''Naturalis Historia''
3:20
and as ''Brixántai'' (Βριξάνται) by

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...

(2nd c. AD)., s.v. ''Brixenetes''. An identification with Strabo's '' Brigántioi'' (Βριγάντιοι) has been proposed.Ernst Meyer: ''Die geschichtlichen Nachrichten über die Räter und ihre Wohnsitze''. In: ''Jahrbuch der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Ur- und Frühgeschichte.'' Vol. 55, 1970, p. 119—125 The ethnic name ''Brixentes'' might derive from an earlier form *''brig-s-ant''-, built on the root ''brig-'' ('hill, hillfort')''.'' It has been translated as 'those living on hills/hillforts', or as 'those living in *''Brigsa''/''Brigsina'''.

Geography

According to the ancient geographer

, the Brixentes were a Rhaetian tribe. It is unclear however where in the Alps the Brixentes actually lived. Since they are listed on the

Tropaeum Alpium The Tropaeum Alpium (Latin 'Trophy of the Alps', French: ''Trophée des Alpes''), is a Roman trophy (''tropaeum'') celebrating the emperor Augustus's decisive victory over the tribes who populated the Alps. The monument's ruins are in La Turbi ...

between the

Calucones The Calucones were a Gallic or Rhaetian tribe dwelling around present-day Chur (eastern Switzerland) during the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Calucones'' (var. ''Callucones'', ''Allucones'') by Pliny (1st c. AD), and as ''kaloúk ...

and the

Lepontii The Lepontii were an ancient Celtic people occupying portions of Rhaetia (in modern Switzerland and Northern Italy) in the Alps during the late Bronze Age/Iron Age. Recent archeological excavations and their association with the Golasecca culture ...

, modern-day eastern Switzerland or Vorarlberg seems a possible location, which would further corroborate the corresponding information given by Strabo about the ''Brigántioi'' and by Ptolemy about the ''Brixántai''. Another theory, inspired by the similarity to the place name, suggests to locate them at the confluence of the Eisack and Rienz rivers in modern-day

South Tyrol it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol , settlement_type = Autonomous area, Autonomous Provinces of Italy, province , image_skyline = ...

, near the modern city of

Brixen Brixen (, ; it, Bressanone ; lld, Porsenù or ) is a town in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about north of Bolzano. Geography First mentioned in 901, Brixen is the third largest city and oldest town in the province, and the artistic an ...

(if reconstructed as *''Brigsa''/''Brigsina'')., Map 19: Raetia.

History

They are mentioned by Pliny the Elder as one of the Alpine tribes conquered by Rome in 16–15 BC, and whose name was engraved on the

References

Primary sources

Bibliography

* * * * {{Authority control Historical Celtic peoples Gauls