Vestini

The Vestini were an ancient Italic tribe that lived in what is now central Italy, specifically in the region called Abruzzo. Their land was between the Gran Sasso mountain and the northern side of the Aterno river. Today, this area includes places like L'Aquila, Ofena, Prata d'Ansidonia, Penne, and Pescara.

Their most important towns included Pitinum, which is near modern L'Aquila, Aufinum in Ofena, Peltuinum in Prata d'Ansidonia, Pinna in Penne, and Aternum in Pescara, which they shared with another tribe called the Marrucini. The Vestini were part of the larger group of Italic peoples who lived in Italy long ago.

Historical geography

The Vestini were an ancient group of people who lived in a mountainous area in what is now central Italy. A writer named Strabo described their land about 100 years after a big conflict called the Social War. He said the southern border of their land was the Aternus River, which is now called the Aterno-Pescara. The town of Aternum, now called Pescara, was shared with another group called the Marrucini. Other nearby groups, the Peligni, also used the same port.

Later, a writer named Ptolemy listed some of the Vestini’s towns, including Pinna, Avia, Amiternum (which may have been a mistake for Aufina), and Angulus. Another writer, Pliny the Elder, also mentioned a town called Peltuina and noted that the Vestini were part of a region organized by Augustus called Regio IV.

History

The period of Vestinian sovereignty

A Vestini sculpture called the Warrior of Capestrano, made around the 6th century BC, was found in Capestrano, in the province of L'Aquila. It shows a king of the Vestini tribe named Naevius Pompuledius.

The Vestini tribe joined an agreement with Rome in 302 BC, keeping their own independence and making their own coins. Even with influence from nearby places, their own special way of speaking lasted for many years.

Romanization

Old Latin writings from the area show that the Vestini spoke a bit differently from people in Rome. These writings help us learn about how the Vestini lived and talked long ago. One writing from Furfo uses an old style of letters, and another from Scoppito shows that part of the Aternus valley was still Vestini land.