Picenum

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This page deals with the place-names of a region approximately corresponding to the V Regio of Italy. This region is bounded by the Adriatic sea (to the east), the river Esino (north), the Appennine range (west) and the river Saline (south). Included here are the towns of the Piceni proprie dicti and of the Palmensi, Praetutii, Hadriani.

Common remarks: the place-names have been put in the nominative case, an asterisk * means not attested, reconstructed form. The late place-names of probable Latin origin have not been included. The IE roots are in the form given by Pokorny's Indogermanische Wörterbuch. The links will be active when the single pages will be published, see the main page. For any comment, suggestion, email me.

Ancona

• Place: Ancona, province Ancona, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Ancona (Ptol., Plin., Mel., Strab.)
• Etymology: A Syracusan foundation, its name is the Greek ankon 'elbow' (UTET).

Asculum

• Place: Ascoli Piceno, province Ascoli Piceno, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Asculum (Ptol., Plin., Strab.) Asclum (Peut.)
• Etymology: Unknown. Usually compared with Ausculum (Apulia). Tentatively, the two names can be explained from an earlier *aus-tlo-, from the IE root *aus- 'to draw' and the instrumental suffix -tlo-. Then, the name could have been referred to a drain channel or similar.

Auximum

• Place: Osimo, province Ancona, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Auximum (Plin., Strab., Peut., Caes.)
• Etymology: Usually derived from the IE root *au(e)g- 'to magnify, increase' (UTET), possibly with a superlative marker -s_emo- or from an S-stem extension *augs-. The name has an exact counterpart in Auximum (Campania), and can be attributed to some Umbrian-like dialect or even to a Picene stratum.

Cingulum

• Place: Cingoli, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Cingulum (Plin., Strab., Caes., Cic.)
• Etymology: A Roman foundation, its name may be simply the Latin cingulum 'circular fence'. But when compared with Cingilia (Samnium) and Cingulum (Latium), in the same Italic domain, the name could also be pre-Roman, also if likely related with Latin cingo and Umbrian cihcersa (*kinkeda-) 'gates', from the IE root *kenk- 'to bind, girdle'.

Cluana

• Place: Porto di Civitanova Marche, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Cluana (Plin., Mel.)
• Etymology: It may be related with Cluviae (Samnium), from the IE root *k'leu- 'to hear' or, more probably, *k'leu- 'to rinse, clean'. Compare especially with Latin cloaca (*cluaca) 'drain channel'. In this latter case, the name should related to Cluentus fl.

*Cluentus fl.

• Place: river Chienti, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: inferred from the survival of the name
• Etymology: Likely, a participe with the marker -ent- from the IE root *k'leu- 'to rinse, clean' (UTET). Thus the meaning of the name is 'the washing (river)'. It may be related to Cluana.

Cunerus m.

• Place: mount Conero, province Ancona, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Cunerus m. (Plin.)
• Etymology: Usually it is related to Latin cuneus 'wedge' and explained from a stem *kun- (UTET) that is likely the IE root *k'u- 'sharp, pike'. Compare with some British place-names, like Cunis i. (Britannia).

Cupra

• Place: close to Cupra Marittima, province Ascoli Piceno, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Cupra (Plin., Strab., Mel.) Cupra Maritima (Ptol., Peut.)
• Etymology: Like for Cupra Montana, the name is usually explained from the presence of a temple of the Picene Goddess Cupra, found as ikiperu in a Picene inscription and as Cubrar in an Umbrian inscription. Compare also the Sabine adjective cuprum 'good', related to Latin cupio, -ere 'to desire', from whence Cupra has been equiparated with the Roman dea Bona (UTET). An alternative origin of the name is some appellative *cupra 'cavity' from the IE root *keub-, in some language in which *b>p, as in Germanic, Thracian, Hittite etc. Here, this stratum has been conventionally called "Picene".

Cupra Montana

• Place: close to Cupra Montana, province Ancona, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Cupra Montana (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: Like for Cupra, the name is usually explained from the presence of a temple of the Goddess Cupra, found as ikiperu in a Picene inscription and as Cubrar in an Umbrian inscription. Compare also the Sabine adjective cuprum 'good', related to Latin cupio, -ere 'to desire', from whence Cupra has been equiparated with the Roman dea Bona (UTET). An alternative origin of the name is some appellative *cupra 'cavity' from the IE root *keub-, in some language in which *b>p, as in Germanic, Thracian, Hittite etc. Here, this stratum has been conventionally called "Picene".

Falerio

• Place: Piane di Falerone, province Ascoli Piceno, region Marche, Italy
• Name: *Falerium from Falerienses (Plin.)
• Etymology: Compare with Falerii (Etruria) and Falernum (Campania), both related to the Etruscans. An Etruscan influence is not proved for the Picenum, so the name may be explained either as directly related to the Faliscan Falerii, or as an Italic name for the presence of the initial f. In this case, the first part of Falacrinae (Samnium) and of Falarinus m. (App.) can be compared.

Firmum

• Place: Fermo, province Ascoli Piceno, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Firmium (Ptol.) Firmum (Mel., Plin., Peut.)
• Etymology: It is a Roman colony, then the name may be from Latin firmum 'stable, fixed'. But for UTET, it is a Latin translation of a Picene name.

Helvia Ricina

• Place: Villa Potenza di Macerata, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Ricina (Plin., Peut.)
• Etymology: The earlier name may have been Ricina, and Helvia added after the Roman conquest. The name has a surprisingly close relationship with a Gaulish rica 'furrow' (Anreider, Pokorny), from the IE root *perk'- 'to tear out, dig out, furrow'. This area is not far from the Ager Gallicus (see under Umbria).

Novana

• Place: not identified, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Novana (Plin.)
• Etymology: Apparently, a late foundation, with the name from Latin novum 'new'. But possibly a Latin translation of an earlier name.

Numana

• Place: Numana, province Ancona, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Numana (Ptol., Plin., Peut., Mel.)
• Etymology: The name can be compared with Numistro (Lucania), Numicius fl. (Latium), Numinium (Latium), and derived from the variant *sneu- of the IE root *sne- 'to flow, swim, damp'. As for the other place-names, an extended m-form has to be assumed.

Pausulae

• Place: San Claudio di Corridonia, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Pausulae (Plin., Peut.)
• Etymology: Unknown. Temptatively, the name can be explained as a diminutive with the suffix -ula from a stem paus- that can be derived from the variant *beus- of the IE root *beu- 'to swell, puff'. The meaning of the name can therefore be reconstructed as 'small sacs', with reference to the morphology of the site. The development *b>p can be explained from a language which had a stop shift as in Germanic, Thracian, Hittite etc. Here, this stratum has been conventionally called "Picene".

Planina

• Place: Sant'Apollinare di Monte Roberto, province Ancona, region Marche, Italy
• Name: *Planina from Planinenses (Plin.)
• Etymology: Probably related to Latin planus 'flat', from the IE root *pel- 'wide and flat'.

Pollentia

• Place: possibly Pollenza (Montemilone) or another name for Urbisaglia, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: *Pollentia from Pollentini (Plin.)
• Etymology: A Roman foundation, the name is from Latin polleo, -ere 'to be migthy' (UTET).

Potentia

• Place: Potenza di Porto Recanati, province Ancona, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Potentia (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: A Roman colony, the name is the Latin potentia 'the powerful'. Compare Potentia (Lucania).

Septempeda

• Place: Pieve di San Severino Marche, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Septempeda (Ptol., Plin., Ant.)
• Etymology: It is clearly built on septem 'seven', possibly a Latin translation of an earlier related form, and an appellative that can be compared with the name of Pedum (Latium) and probably with Latin pes,pedis 'foot'. Some erudite tradition explains the name as 'seven hills'.

Tinna fl.

• Place: river Tenna, province Ascoli Piceno, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Tinna fl. (Peut.)
• Etymology: Possibly, the river-name derives from the IE root *tin-, maybe variant (and zero-grade) of a more general *tei- 'to melt, dissipate, decay'. The consonant cluster -nn- may have originated from an assimilation, for example of a previous *tin-ua. The name is related to Tina fl. (Britannia) and possibly to Tinia fl. (Etruria).

Tolentinum

• Place: Tolentino, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: *Tolentinum from Tolentinates (Plin.)
• Etymology: Clearly belonging to some O-language, the name shows a second part -ent- that my be the IE *-uent- 'rich of' or a participe marker. The stem *tol- may be compared with Toleria (Latium) and maybe, outside of Italy, with Toletum (Tarraconensis) and Tolosa (Narbonensis). For the Picene place-name a derivation from the IE root *del- 'to split, divide' is possible, since the phonetic feature *d>t could be one of the markers of the so-called "Picene" linguistic stratum. In this case the meaning may be that of 'division mark'. Another hypothesis is proposed by UTET, and compares the name with the ethnic Taulantini, an Illyrian tribe in modern Albania.

Treia

• Place: Crocifisso di Treia, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Treia (Ptol.) Traia (Plin.)
• Etymology: Unknown. Possibly an Umbrian name for UTET. Several IE roots could fit the name, thus nothing can be said about it.

Truentus fl., Truentum

• Place: river Tronto (Truentus fl.), Porto d'Ascoli (Truentum), province Ascoli Piceno, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Truentum (Plin.) Civitas Truentina (Strab.) Castrum Truentinum (Peut.) Truentinum (Mel.)
• Etymology: Usually derived from a participial form *dru-ent- 'the flowing (river)', from the IE root *dreu- 'to run' )Pokorny, UTET). The initial t can be explained assuming an unknown language (here called conventionally "Picene") in which *d>t (as in Germanic, Thracian, Hittite etc.). Compare with Terventum (Samnium)

Urbs Salvia

• Place: Anfiteatro di Urbisaglia, province Macerata, region Marche, Italy
• Name: Urbs Salvia (Ptol.) Urbesalvia (Peut., Plin.)
• Name: Founded during the Roman period, its name is the Roman urbs 'city', with Salvia related to the gens Salvia, that probably had properties in the area (UTET).

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Praetutii

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Albula fl.

• Place: not identified, possibly river Vezzola, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Albula fl. (Plin.)
• Etymology: The name is the same as Albula fl., the old name of the Tiberis fl. (Latium). Together with Albis fl. (Germania), Albis fl. (Lugdunensis), these names are usually explained (Pokorny) from the IE root *albho- 'white', with a diminutive suffix. The name cannot be Eastern Italic for the fact that *bh>b.

Batinus fl.

• Place: not identified, possibly river Tordino, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Batinus fl. (Plin.)
• Etymology: The name compares with Bathis fl. (Sicilia) and possibly also Bathynias fl. (Thracia). An hydronymic stem *bat- may be assumed, but its origin is unknown.

Beregra

• Place: not identified, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Beregra (Ptol., Plin.)
• Etymology: The name may be explained as asuffixed formation from the IE root *bher_eg'- 'to shine, white', possibly with a meaning of 'birch', or from *bher(e)g'h- 'high, mountain'. The name is not Eastern Italic for the conservation of *bh>b

Castrum Novum

• Place: Terravecchia di Giulianova, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Castrum Novum (Plin., Strab., Peut.) Castrum (Ptol.)
• Etymology: A Roman foundation over some previous settlement. The name is the Latin 'new castle'.

Hadria

• Place: Atri, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Hadria (Plin., Peut., Ptol., Liv.) Adria (Mel.) Hatria (inscr.)
• Etymology: The name is more or less the same as Hadria (Venetia) that gave the name to the Adriaticum mare. Both have been explained from the variant *ad-ro- of the IE root *ad(u)- 'water current' (Pokorny, Udolph), or from an "Illyrian" *adri- 'rock' (but it is Sanskrit adri 'stone'), or as a pre-IE name. The variant with t can be the original Picene name with the phonetic feature *d>t that could be one of the markers of the so-called "Picene" linguistic stratum.

Helvinus fl.

• Place: river Vibrata, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Helvinus fl. (Plin.) Herbello (Burd.)
• Etymology: The name can be compared with (Old) Latin helvus 'yellowish', with the distinctive Italic development *g'h>h, from the IE root *g'hel-. Thus, the river-name should have meant 'the yellow (river)'.

Interamnia Praetutiorum

• Place: Teramo, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Interamnia (Ptol.)
• Etymology: Traditionally, it is explained, like the other Interamnia (Latium) and Interamna Nahars (Umbria), from a Latin inter amnes 'between the rivers'. The scholar De Giovanni proposed instead a derivation from an Italic word related to the Umbrian tremnu (*treb-no-) 'tabernaculo'.

Matrinus fl.

• Place: possibly river Saline, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Matrinus fl. (Ptol., Peut., Mel.)
• Etymology: The name may be related with Matrona (Belgica) and Welsh Modron (Pokorny), from the IE root *mater- 'mother'. But it is better to derive it from the IE root *mad- 'wet', and explain it from a language which had the stop shift *d>t (as in Germanic, Thracian, Hittite etc.). Here, this stratum has been conventionally called "Picene".

Palma

• Place: between rivers Tronto and Vibrata, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: *Palma from Ager Palmensis (Plin.)
• Etymology: The reconstructed name can be compared with Palma (Thracia) and derived from an initial river name, built of the suffix -ma and the IE root *pele- (Pokorny), also reconstructed as *pal- (Villar) or *pel- (Udolph) 'swamp'. In alternative, the possible IE root is *pel- 'wide and flat', from which also latin palma 'flat hand'.

Vomanus fl.

• Place: river Vomano, province Teramo, region Abruzzo, Italy
• Name: Vomanus fl. (Plin.)
• Etymology: Unknown. The name is pre-IE for UTET, that compares the Roman personal name Vomanius.

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Conclusions

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The linguistic affiliation of the Piceni has always been disputed. Usually, they are considered as belonging to the Eastern Italic (or Osco-Umbrian) group, just for the geographical proximity. Actually, the typical phonetic features of that linguistic group (intervocalic f, labialization of kw, gw, etc.) are lacking in the toponymy of the area. On the contrary, clear non-Eastern Italic features appear to be dominant. Some of them (like *bh>b, etc. in every position) can be explained in several ways (for example invoking the Western Italic). But the hypothesis proposed here is that of a linguistic stratum, possibly very ancient since it is responsible of the hydronymy, characterized by a consonant shift. There is evidence of the voiced stops shifting to voiceless (*d>t, *g>k and presumably *b>p), and of the aspirated voiced stops shifting to voiced (*bh>b etc.). The voiceless stops were preserved or maybe, to complete the shift, they were aspirated, but this aspiration is not shown in the Latin sources, since Latin language had not aspirated voiceless stops in its alphabet. This unknown language is only a speculation. Conventionally, it will be referred to in the languages' page, as Picene (the so-called Picene alphabets seem to have had aspirated voiceless stops).

An Italic presence is also needed to explain some placenames with initial f or h and it is especially concentrated in the valley of river Tronto (Truentus fl.), maybe the first point from which these Italics, avoiding Picenes north and south, propagated toward the western coast of Italy. It is not clear whether this stratum is a (Western) Italic one or a part of the Osco-Umbrian group.

Possibly, an example of a Gaulish toponymy has been found, not far from the Ager Gallicus in the north of the region.

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Last modified: June 10, 2002
by Antonio Sciarretta
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