Samnites

Samnites, name of an ancient people who lived in Samnium, the mountainous centre of southern Italy. They comprised the Caraceni, the Pentri, the Caudini, and the Hirpini. Because of their raids upon the people of Campania, the latter placed themselves under the protection of Rome, and a series of wars known as the Samnite Wars took place between the Romans and the Samnites from 343 bc to 290 bc. The first war was brief (343-341 bc), but the second (c. 326-304 bc) was more protracted. The defeat of the Romans at the Caudine Forks in 321 bc very nearly gave to the Samnites the opportunity to be the rulers of Italy; by 304 bc, however, they were forced to recognize the supremacy of Rome. The third war (298-290 bc) ended in victory for Rome. They helped Hannibal in the Second Punic War (218-201 bc) and revolted in the Social War of 90 bc after which they became allies of Gaius Marius. They were finally crushed by the Roman general Sulla in 82 bc, their homeland destroyed and they themselves were either Romanized or sold into slavery.