TheSantoni orSantones (Ancient Greek:Σαντόνων, Σάντονες) were aGallic tribe dwelling in the later region ofSaintonge during theIron Age and theRoman period.
These people are noted asSantonum,Santonos andSantonis byCaesar (mid-1st c. BC),[2]Santónōn (Σαντόνων) byStrabo (early 1st c. AD),[3]Santoni byPliny (1st c. AD),[4]Santonis byPomponius Mela (mid-1st c. AD) andTacitus (early 2nd c. AD),[5] asSántones (Σάντονες,var. Σάντωνες) byPtolemy (2nd c. AD).[6][7]
The city ofSaintes, attested in the 1st c. AD asMediolanum Santonum (a Sanctone in the 10th c.,Xainctes 11th c.) and the region ofSaintonge, attested in the 4th c. AD asSantonica tellus (Xanctonia in 1242,Zantonge ca. 1370), are named after the Gallic tribe.[8]
The Santoni lived in the north of theGaronne estuary, in the modernSaintonge region.[9][10]
During the Roman period, their chief town wasMediolanum Santonum (modernSaintes).[10]
Their territory was the destination of the failedmigration of the Helvetii circa 58 BC,[9] which they opposed along with thePictones. Initially, they cooperated withJulius Caesar's navy and traded goods.[11][obsolete source] Later, Caesar's plans for conquest of the Gallic tribes divided them.
They provided 12,000 men to the Gallic coalition against Rome at theBattle of Alesia in 52 BC.[9][10]
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