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Votodrones

Ancient Gallic people in Cisalpine Gaul

The Votodrones were an ancient Gallic people of Cisalpine Gaul, living near modern Somma Lombardo. They are known from a single Roman-period votive inscription, in which they appear as a community of villagers (vicani).

Votodrones

The Votodrones were an ancient Gallic people of Cisalpine Gaul, living near modern Somma Lombardo (Lombardy, northern Italy). They are known from a single Roman-period votive inscription, in which they appear as a community of villagers (vicani).

Name

The name is recorded in a votive inscription to Hercules from Somma Lombardo, dated to the 2nd century AD:[1]

Her[c]uli / vicani / Votodrones / v(otum) s(olverunt)


"To Hercules, the vicani Votodrones fulfilled their vow."

Xavier Delamarre analyses the name as the Gaulish compound Uoto-drones, which he interprets as 'those who dispute for their rights'. It is formed with uoto- 'right' (cf. Old Irish foth 'right, claim, what is due') attached to -drones 'dispute, combat' (cf. Old Irish drenn 'strife, dispute', Old Breton ardren and Welsh drynni 'combat').[2][3]

Geography

The inscription was found at Somma Lombardo, in the territory of Mediolanum (Transpadana, Regio XI), near Lake Maggiore.[4]

References

  1. ↑ RAComo 1931, no. 71; Brancato 2024, no. 140.
  2. ↑ Delamarre 2003, p. 328.
  3. ↑ Delamarre 2004, pp. 125–126.
  4. ↑ Falileyev 2010, s.v. Votodrones.

Bibliography

  • Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN 9782877723695.
  • Delamarre, Xavier (2004). "Gallo-Brittonica: transports, richesse et générosité chez les anciens celtes". Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie. 54 (1): 121–132. doi:10.1515/ZCPH.2005.121. ISSN 0084-5302.
  • Falileyev, Alexander (2010). Dictionary of Continental Celtic Place-names: A Celtic Companion to the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. CMCS. ISBN 978-0955718236.
  • Talbert, Richard J. A. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691031699.