Bruttium


The Bruttians, an ancient Italic people, settled the region of what is now Calabria in southern Italy, establishing themselves as the southernmost branch of the Osco-Umbrian tribes. Their origins trace back to the Samnites through a ritualistic practice known as *ver sacrum*, involving the sacred sending forth of young people to found new settlements.

⭐ In the context of ancient Italy, the Bruttians are considered to have originated from which earlier Italic group through a specific cultural practice?

Teacher's Corner

Free Curriculum Tools

Instantly generate materials for this topic. No login required.

Launch Interactive Quiz

⭐ Core Definition: Bruttium

The Bruttians (Latin: Bruttii or Brettii) were an ancient Italic people. They inhabited the southern extremity of Italy, from the frontiers of Lucania to the Sicilian Straits and the promontory of Leucopetra. This roughly corresponds to the modern region of Calabria.

Occupying originally the mountains and hills of modern Calabria, they were the southernmost branch of the Osco-Umbrian Italic tribes, and were ultimately descended from the Samnites through the process of ver sacrum.

↓ Menu
In the context of ancient Italy, the Bruttians are considered to have originated from which earlier Italic group through a specific cultural practice?
HINT: The Bruttians were descended from the Samnites, a process facilitated by the *ver sacrum*, a ritual where young people were sent forth to establish new settlements, effectively expanding Samnite influence southward.

In this Dossier

Bruttium in the context of Lucania

Lucania was a historical region of Southern Italy, named after its native Lucani, an Oscan people. It extended from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Gulf of Taranto. It bordered with Samnium and Campania in the north, Apulia in the east, and Bruttium in the south-west, and was at the tip of the peninsula which is now called Calabria. It comprised almost all the modern region of Basilicata, the southern part of the Province of Salerno (the Cilento area), the western part of Province of Taranto and a northern portion of the Province of Cosenza.

The precise limits were the river Silarus in the north-west, which separated it from Campania, and the Gravina which flows into the Gulf of Taranto in the east. The lower tract of the river Laus, which flows from a ridge of the Apennine Mountains to the Tyrrhenian Sea in an east-west direction, marked part of the border with Bruttium.

View the full Wikipedia page for Lucania
↑ Return to Menu

Bruttium in the context of Province of Apulia and Calabria

Apulia and Calabria (Latin: Apulia et Calabria) was a Late Roman province in the ancient southern Italian territories of Apulia and Calabria – both roughly included in the modern Apulia region, with Calabria being the Roman term for Salento (distinct from Bruttium, which corresponds to modern Calabria). Its capital was Canusium (modern Canosa di Puglia).

View the full Wikipedia page for Province of Apulia and Calabria
↑ Return to Menu

Bruttium in the context of Leucopetra

Punta di Pellaro (Greek: Λευκοπέτρα, "white rock"; Latin: Leucopetra) is the extreme southwestern point of mainland Italy, in the region of Calabria, looking towards the east coast of Sicily, at 38°01′N 15°38′E / 38.017°N 15.633°E / 38.017; 15.633.

Anciently a promontory of Bruttium, it was in consequence of its location generally regarded as the termination of the chain of the Apennines. Pliny tells it was some 20 km from Rhegium (modern Reggio di Calabria). The whiteness of the rocks composing this headland gave origin to the ancient name.

View the full Wikipedia page for Leucopetra
↑ Return to Menu