Bergalei

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The Bergalei were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the Val Bregaglia during the Iron Age and the Roman period.

Contents

Name

The ethnic name Bergalei appears to derive from the Gaulish stem for 'mountain, mount', *berga-. It has been translated as the 'highland people'. [1]

Geography

The Bergalei lived in the Val Bregaglia, near the settlements of Clavenna (Chiavenna) and Murus (Bondo). [2] [3] Their territory was located north of the Aneuniates, south of the Suanetes, west of the Rugusci. [3]

After their subjugation by Rome in 15 BC, they were integrated into the province of Raetia. [2]

History

They are mentioned during the reign of Claudius (41–54) in the context of an old dispute with the people of Comum. [4] [2]

Culture

The Bergalei were not part of the Raeti. Two votive inscriptions dedicated to the god Mercurius Cissonius attest of a Celtic influence. [2]

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References

Bibliography

  • de Bernardo Stempel, Patrizia (2008). "Linguistically Celtic ethnonyms: towards a classification". In García Alonso, Juan Luis (ed.). Celtic and Other Languages in Ancient Europe. Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca. ISBN   978-8478003358.
  • Frei-Stolba, Regula (2002). "Bergalei". Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz .
  • Frezouls, Edmond (1981). "A propos de la tabula Clesiana". Ktèma. 6 (1): 239–252. doi:10.3406/ktema.1981.1848.
  • Talbert, Richard J. A. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0691031699.