TheTaurini were aLigurian orCelto-Ligurian tribe dwelling in the upper valley of the riverPo, around present-dayTurin, during theIron Age and theRoman period.
They are mentioned asTaurĩnoí (Ταυρῖνοί) byPolybius (2nd c. BC),[1]Taurini byLivy (late 1st c. BC),[2]Taurinoí (Ταυρινοί) byStrabo (early 1st c. AD),[3]Taurinorum byPliny (1st c. AD),[4] and asTaurínōn (Ταυρίνων; var. Ταυρικῶν, Ταυρινῶν) byPtolemy (2nd c. AD).[5][6]
The ethnic nameTaurini can be translated as 'the tribe of the bull'.[7] It is either an older form of themetathesized Celtic nountaruos ('bull'), or a non-CelticLigurian form.[8][6]
The Taurini lived between theDora Riparia and the upperPo river and the lower Dandrune river.[9] Their territory was located east of theIemerii, west of theLibicii andIadatini.[10]
Their original capital, Taurasia, was destroyed by the Carthaginians after they opposed in vainHannibal's march into Italy in 218 BC. It was refounded by the Romans after 25 BC as Colonia Augusta Taurinorum (modernTurin), at the confluence of the Dora and Po. The settlement was hit by a fire in 69 AD.[9][11]
They were involved in Rome's wars against the Celts at the end of the 4th century BC.[9]
In 218 BC, they were attacked byHannibal, who had allied with their long-standing enemies, theInsubres. Their chief town was captured by Hannibal's forces after a three-day siege.[12]
The ethnic identity of the Taurini is unclear. They have been variously described as Celts, Ligurians, or more likely, Celticized Ligurians.[9][11]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Taurini".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 455.