The Vennones or Vennonetes were a Gallic or Rhaetian tribe dwelling in the northern Alps, between Chur and Lake Constance, during the Iron Age and the Roman era.
They are mentioned as Ouénnōnes (Οὐέννωνες) by Strabo (early 1st c. AD), [1] as Vennonenses (var. -onetes) by Pliny (1st c. AD), [2] and as Ouénnōnetes (Οὐέννωνετες) by Ptolemy (2nd c. AD). [3] [4]
The etymology of the name remains obscure. If Celtic, and not Rhaetic, it can be derived from the root ueno- ('friend'), with a sound shift -n- > -nn- attested in other cases (e.g. Vena / Venna), [5] [4] or else from to uenno- (< *uegno-), meaning 'chariot'. [6]
The Vennones dwelled in the northern Alps, between Chur and Lake Constance. [7] Their territory was located north of the Calucones, west of the Estiones, Focunates and Genaunes, south of the Brigantii. [8]
Pliny described the Vennones and Sarunetes as "Rhaetian tribes living near the sources of the river Rhine". [2]
They were subjugated by the Roman forces of Publius Silius Nerva in 16 BC. [7]
The Vennonetes appear as the third tribe in the inscription on the Tropaeum Alpium. 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. [9]
The Calucones were a Gallic or Rhaetian tribe dwelling around present-day Chur during the Roman period.
The Medulli were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper valley of Maurienne, around present-day Modane (Savoie), during the Iron Age and Roman period.
The Nantuates or Nantuatae were a Gallic tribe dwelling around present-day Massongex, in the modern Canton of Valais (Switzerland) and adjacent areas of France, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Salassi or Salasses were a Gallic or Ligurian tribe dwelling in the upper valley of the Dora Baltea river, near present-day Aosta, Aosta Valley, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Bituriges Vivisci were a Gallic tribe dwelling near modern-day Bordeaux during the Roman period. They had a homonym tribe, the Bituriges Cubi in the Berry region, which could indicate a common origin, although there is no direct of evidence of this.
The Caturiges were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper Durance valley, around present-day towns of Chorges and Embrun, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Vindelici were a Gallic people dwelling around present-day Augsburg (Bavaria) during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Vediantii were a Celto-Ligurian tribe dwelling on the Mediterranean coast, near present-day Nice, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Acitavones were a small Gallic tribe dwelling in the Alps during the Iron Age.
The Suetrii or Suetri were a Gallic tribe dwelling around present-day Castellane (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Ambisontes were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper Salzach valley during the Roman period.
The Quariates or Quadiates were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the valley of Queyras, in the Alps, during the Iron Age.
The Ucennii,Ucenni or Iconii were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the Romanche valley, in the Alps, during the Iron Age.
The Vergunni were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the valley of the Riou, near the Verdon river, during the Iron Age.
The Rucinates or Rucantii were a Gallic tribe dwelling in near the confluence of the Isar and Danube rivers during the Roman period.
The Licates were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper valley of the Lech river during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
The Brigantii were a Gallic tribe who lived southeast of Lake Constance, in the area of present-day Bregenz (Brigantion), in Austria's state of Vorarlberg, during the Roman era.
The Brixentes or Brixenetes were a Celtic or Rhaetian tribe living in the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman era.
The Cosuanetes were an ancient tribe living in the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman era.
The Suanetes were an Raetian tribe living in the Alps, near modern Chur, during the Iron Age and the Roman era.