Sorry for delay!
It is very difficult to present, in a brief, an overview of pre-Roman peoples in the peninsula before the advent of the unifying power of Rome; I will try to bring in broad and as comprehensive as possible, a “photo” of the Italic stating that, for many small entities, as well as a few archaeological evidence will have little literary task (Tucidite, Strabo, Festo, Erodoto, Diodoro etc..) that often encroached on the legend.
The Italian peninsula was already inhabited in prehistoric times (Men of Saccopastore and of Circeo).
Towards the middle of the third millennium occurred entry of Indo-European populations followed, towards the beginning of the second millennium, by a second wave; this new entrance was followed by two (mid second millennium and early first millennium), and these migrations caused absorption (or moving) for groups who already inhabited the peninsula.
This is not the place to meet “Indo-European” origin or not of this or that people; I shall give only a “timeless” geographic location. In the realization of these map, in fact, I chose to follow a criterion of geographical location of populations, and not temporal location; this to give an overview of pre-Roman people as best as possible, which would not have been possible if I decided “to photograph” the peninsula in a specific period. It is obvious, in fact, dating the map, peoples who inhabited the area in a given period (if at a later date won or acquired by others populations) were not traceable.
Note: likewise American redskins tribes italic peoples have not rigid borders of states but their localizations are considered as areas of influence.
I hope that this information is useful now and … in the future, whereas the subject of Tartar Miniatures, if pursued, will lead us to appreciate the new subjects of this interesting crucible that is the peoples - and soldiers - before Rome.
Under generic term “italic peoples” we understand all peoples lived in Italy before Rome; this territory is included between Alps mountains at north and Adriatic, Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian seas around the “boot”: it doesn’t forget the three big islands Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica (today french but, geographically belonging to Italy).
Some scholars speculate that one of this waves came from Scythia; these peoples settled in the north zone (Taurisci), in centre and south; in a subsequent wave an iberian people crossing Alps; a part just stopped and pushing Taurisci in the subalpine areas, another part settled in central zone and a third part went through the whole peninsula until arrive in Sicily.
On Italian soil we identify three big groups - Etruscans (Rasena or Rasna or Tyrsenoi), Oscans (Osci or Opici) and Apulians (Iapigii or Iapiges); in order.
Etruscan “nation” was a league of 12 big cities (so-called “Duodecim populi Etruriae”) and included Etruria (today Toscana), upper Latium (Lazio) until Tiber River, Padania plain lower Po river until Adriatic sea (Adria was an Etruscan harbour) and small enclaves on campanian coasts.
Oscans was an ancient nucleus from which derived many people (the biggest was Samnites - what formed a league with Hirpini, Caraceni, Pentri, Alfaterni and Caudini) plus other little groups - Frentani and Sidicini - and peoples (Campani, Lucani and Brutii) what lived in central-southern peninsular zone later called “Magna Graecia”. A small group of oscan stock were Vestini, inhabitant the central territory of today Abruzzo; these, together Paeligni, Marsi, Marrucini and - maybe - Frentani, today are definited “Sabellic League”.
The big thirty entity was Apulians (Iapigii) suddivided in three tribes were lived in today Puglia: from north to south, Dauni, Peuceti and Messapii, plus a little people of epirotic origin, the Chones, in tarentine gulf.
“Around” this three big “Nations” we found, in the north zone over Po River - from west to east - Liguri (this group settled between western Alps and high tyrrhenian coast, also Corsica and northern Sardinia - Taurisci, Genuati, Viturii, Salassi, Leponti and Friniantes); Celtic tribes (Vocontii, Iconi, Tricorii, Allobrogii, Libuii, Laevi, Salluvii, Caturiges, Vagenni, Intemeli, Igauni, Libicii, Vertamocori, Cenomani, Orunbovii, Insubri, Marici, Vennoni, Isarci, Orobii, Stoeni, Boii, Lingoni and Senoni), Camuni, Veneti (an illyric people, between oriental Alps, Padania plain, Slovenia and adriatic costal zone), Euganei-Retii, Stoeni (of ligurian strain), Alpini, Carni, Istri and Illyri.
In central territory lived, as seen, Rasna - principally on tyrrhenic side, Umbri (central apenninic zone, today Umbria) and Latini (today Lazio) plus minor entity as Equi, Volsci, Falisci, Capenati, Sabini, Ernici, Aurunces and Rutuli (on coasts, maybe of ligurian stock); in east zones of Apennines mountains until Adriatic sea lived Picentes, Petruzi, Asili, and, on coasts come from Dalmatia, Liburni.
In southern zone lived Lucani and Enotri, and in the “tip of boot”, Brutii; some scholars positioned Morgeti in the tip of Calabria, but other scholars suppose they lived in Sicily (because ancient writers often disagree among themselves and give different versions in this regard).
In Sicily lived Siculi (or Siceli or Sikeloi), Sicani, Elymi - maybe Morgeti - and Iblei; in Sardinia lived Sardi and in Corsica the Corsi.
Sicily, for example.
We see that the situation in Sicily, at later dates, exhibitions areas and different populations.
Scholars speculate that Sicani have settled in the island even before the XV cent., maybe Iberian origin; after this date Siculi, behind the pressure of Opici, would get out of the peninsula and would have invaded Sicily, winning Sicani and confined them in the eastern parts of southern-island.
Another theory suggests that Siculi were Šekeleš of "Sea People" (a "confederation" of the sea robbers who attacked in two waves Egypt) which were rejected, landed precisely in Sicily (about this theory Sardi were Shardana - that invaded Sardinia, and Trs were Thursa - Tyrsenoi - that inhabitant Etruria).
Elymi, that lived in western areas, maybe with crossbreeding with native Liguri, even though legend says that after the fall of Troy, some defectors would arrive in Sicily gives rise precisely to Elymi; according a legend, another group of trojan fugitives landed on the shores of Lazio, clashing with the Rutuli!
We know that island was base of the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians before Roman conquest (241 b.C.).
As already deduced, the view of people has changed over the millennium, and the map makes clear what combination I hope.
Note: about celtic tribes and peoples of central zone, considering the small size of the map, I could not put small entity; if You want, I will to create a new map big of zone for what it regards this populations.
Sorry for my eventually errors and/or, forget-fulnesses in English translation.
Robert
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