Cosuanetes

The Cosuanetes were an ancient tribe living in the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman era.

Name

They are mentioned as Cosuanetes (var. -naetes, -nates) by Pliny (1st c. AD),^[1] as Kōtonántioi (Κωτονάντιοι) by Strabo (early 1st c. AD),^[2] and as Kōnsonántai (Κωνσονάνται) by Ptolemy (2nd c. AD).^[3]^[4]

According to Xavier Delamarre, the name could be interpreted as the Celtic Co-su-anates, from anatia ('soul'), or Co-su-uan-ates, from -uanos ('killer of').^[5] However, Alexander Falileyev argues that "the discrepancies in spelling and Strabo's association of the tribe with the Raeti makes Celtic interpretation, though possible (ko(m)-su-an-et-es or the like) not necessary".^[4] The ethnic name Suanetes appears to be linguistically related.^[5]

Geography

The tribe was probably located in modern western Austria, near the Rucinates, although no precise location is certain.^[6]^[4] They were part of the Vindelici.^[7]

History

They are mentioned by Pliny the Elder as one of the Alpine tribes conquered by Rome in 16–15 BC, and whose name was engraved on the Tropaeum Alpium.^[8]

References

^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:137.
^ Strabo, Geōgraphiká, 4:6:8.
^ Ptolemy. Geōgraphikḕ Hyphḗgēsis, 2:12:4.
^ ^a ^b ^c Falileyev 2010, s.v. Cosuanetes.
^ ^a ^b Delamarre 2003, pp. 44, 306–207.
^ Talbert 2000, Map 19: Raetia.
^ Schumacher, Dietz & Zanier 2007.
^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:20.

Primary sources

Pliny (1938). Natural History. Loeb Classical Library. Translated by Rackham, H. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674993648.
Strabo (1923). Geography. Loeb Classical Library. Translated by Jones, Horace L. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0674990562.

Bibliography

Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN 9782877723695.
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.
Schumacher, Stefan; Dietz, Karlheinz; Zanier, Werner (2007). "Vindeliker". In Beck, Heinrich (ed.). Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde. Vol. 35 (2 ed.). De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3110187847.
Talbert, Richard J. A. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691031699.

[Pliny-1] Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:137.

[Strabo-2] Strabo, Geōgraphiká, 4:6:8.

[3] Ptolemy. Geōgraphikḕ Hyphḗgēsis, 2:12:4.

[Falileyev-4] Falileyev 2010, s.v. Cosuanetes.

[FOOTNOTEDelamarre200344,_306–207-5] Delamarre 2003, pp. 44, 306–207.

[:1-6] Talbert 2000, Map 19: Raetia.

[FOOTNOTESchumacherDietzZanier2007-7] Schumacher, Dietz & Zanier 2007.

[Pliny2-8] Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:20.

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