Samnium
/ˈsæmniəm/noun
An ancient region of central and southern Italy inhabited chiefly by the Samnites.
Did you know?Samnium’s name is linked to the Samnites, whose language was Oscan; scholars connect the name with the Sabines, but the deeper origin remains disputed.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Roman Italy
Oscan
Safinim
“The Samnite territory; the exact original sense of the name is uncertain.”
4th–3rd Century BCE
Oscan
Safineis
“The Samnite people, recorded in inscriptions and ancient sources.”
3rd–1st Century BCE
Latin
Samnium
“The land of the Samnites, a mountainous region of central Italy.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Samnium
“A Roman territorial name for the former Samnite region.”
Modern English
English
Samnium
“The ancient Italian region associated with the Samnites.”