The Vennones or Vennonetes were a
Rhaetian tribe dwelling in the northern Alps, between
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
and
Lake Constance, 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 ''Ouénnōnes'' (Οὐέννωνες) by
Strabo (early 1st c. AD), as ''Vennonenses'' (
var. -') 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),
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 ...
. ''Naturalis Historia'', 3:135. and as ''Ouénnōnetes'' (Οὐέννωνετες) 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. ''Vennon(et)es''.]
The etymology of the name remains obscure. If Celtic, and not
Rhaetic, it could be derived from the root '- ('friend'), with a sound shift -''n-'' > -''nn-'' attested in other cases (e.g. ''Vena'' / ''Venna''),
or else from to '- (< *'-), meaning 'chariot'.
Geography
The Vennones dwelled in the northern Alps, between
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
and
Lake Constance. Their territory was located north of 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 ...
, west of the
Estiones,
Focunates
The Focunates were an ancient Alpine tribe dwelling near present-day Innsbruck (Tyrol) during the Iron Age.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Focunates'' by Pliny (1st c. AD).Pliny. ''Naturalis Historia''3:20
Geography
The Focunates lived west o ...
and
Genaunes, south of the
Brigantii.
Pliny described the Vennones and
Sarunetes as "Rhaetian tribes living near the sources of the river Rhine".
History
They were subjugated by the Roman forces of
Publius Silius Nerva in 16 BC.
The Vennonetes appear as the third tribe in the inscription 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 ...
. In the secondary tradition of the text by Pliny the Elder their position in the list was exchanged with the
Venostes and the Vennonetes appear as the fourth tribe.
[Jules Formigé]
''La dédicace du Trophée des Alpes (La Turbie).''
In: ''Gallia.'' Vol. 13, 1955, No. 1, p. 101—102.
References
Primary sources
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Bibliography
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{{Authority control
Tribes conquered by Rome
Raetia
Ancient Switzerland