Euganei

The Euganeer (Latin Euganei, Greek εὐγενής ) were a semi- mythical, pre- Italic people on the territory of today's Veneto.

Originally siedelnd between the Adriatic and the Alps, they should have been, according to Livy sold by the Veneti and Trojans. They settled then in the area around Lake Iseo ( Sebinus ), Lake Idro ( Edrus ) and Lake Garda ( Benaco ) down. There they are said to have conquered according to Pliny the Elder 34 towns or castles.

As a main stem both Pliny and Strabo the Stoeni or Stoni, or Στόνοι call. After Cato to the mountain peoples of the Triumpilini and Camuni in Valcamonica and heard in Val Trompia to the Euganean. Apparently the ancient authors was already clear that they were related neither Gauls nor Rhätiern or Veneti. From the Euganean name, which was attributed to ἐυγενεις ( the well-born ), Pliny deduced even a Greek origin.

The Euganean Hills near Padua owe this people their names, just as in the time of fascism, Venezia Euganea region, which was composed of the present-day region of Veneto and Friuli.

History of Science

The writings of Livy and Pliny were received during the Renaissance in Europe and over the few news about the Euganeer and the relationship to Trojans and Venetians. So the scarce reports of Livy Marcus Antonius Sabellicus ' edition of the Historiae appeared like those of Pliny and his Naturae historiarum libri XXXVII in John Camers in the section De Alpibus et Gentibus alpinis ( Liber tertius, p. 37). Also Joannes Goropius in his nine books Origen Antwerpianae Immersive Cimmeriorum Becceselana (Antwerp: Christopher Plantinus 1549, p 959 ) wrote from the ancient authors, while Leandro Alberti asks where the Euganeer came from. He called hypotheses, they were descendants of Greeks or of a Tuscan princes and referred to Pliny, who had stated that they possessed 34 " Castelli ". Philipp Clüver led her name back to a Greek word, which he translated as " Outstanding " or " noble " ( " quod praestanti ac nobili genere orti essent "). Johann Paul Reinhard (1722-1779) said of the Henetern they were " undoubtedly descendants of the Illyrians and have the Euganeos, driven out of these areas before the Trojan war. " For Johann Ernst Fabri Rhätier and Euganeer were identical, while Peter Frederik Suhm for " companions " were.

The meager details of the few sources apparently made ​​a localization of Euganeer difficult. On the map Karl Wolf in Meyer's Big Conversation Lexicon of 1905-1911, they appear as inhabitants of the Trentino.

In Atlas antiquus by Heinrich Kiepert in 1869 they appeared, however, still be resident in the Valsugana, so sat on the upper reaches of the Brenta ) and Piave. Archaeological finds at Montesei di Serso, near Pergine Valsugana, however, indicate for the period from about 2000 to 1000 BC on Raetian residents.

In the 9th century, we follow De Franceschini, Veneti penetrated into the plains in the catchment area of the Po, where they mingled with the Euganeern. Also, the assumption that the Euganeer were related to Rhaetians who lived on the southern and the northern edge of the Alps, was picked up by Morandi again.