The Ligures or Ligurians were an ancient people after whom Liguria , a region of present-day north-western Italy , is named.
58-547: In pre-Roman times, the Ligurians occupied the present-day Italian region of Liguria , Piedmont , northern Tuscany , western Lombardy , western Emilia-Romagna and northern Sardinia , reaching also Elba and Sicily . They inhabited also the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Corsica . However, it is generally believed that around 2000 BC , the Ligurians occupied a much larger area, extending as far as what
116-587: A coalition of Ligurians and Boii Gauls, but the two peoples soon found themselves in disagreement and the military campaign came to a halt with the dissolution of the alliance. Meanwhile, a Roman fleet commanded by Quintus Fabius Maximus routed Ligurian ships on the coast (234-233 BC), allowing the Romans to control the coastal route to and from Gaul and to counter the Carthaginian expansion in Iberia , given that
174-462: A major raid going as far as the right bank of the river Arno. Roman campaigns followed (191, 188 and 187 BC); these were victorious, but not decisive. In the campaign of 186 BC, the Romans were beaten by the Ligurians in the Magra valley. In this battle, which took place in a narrow and precipitous place, the Romans lost about 4000 soldiers, three eagle insignia of the second legion and eleven banners of
232-614: A more ancient proto-Celtic presence can be traced back to the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age (16th-15th century BC), when north-western Italy appears closely linked regarding the production of bronze artifacts, including ornaments, to the western groups of the Tumulus culture ( Central Europe , 1600 BC - 1200 BC). The bearers of the Canegrate culture maintained its homogeneity for only a century, after which it melded with
290-533: Is a favourite destination for French high society and British and American visitors because of the pleasant and picturesque towns and villages, comfortable way of life, agricultural wealth, historical and cultural associations, as well as hiking trails. Samuel Beckett notably lived in Cave Bonelly, a vineyard near to Roussillon , during World War II . In the last two decades the Luberon has become known in
348-626: Is divided into a number of provinces . During the Kingdom of Italy , regions were mere statistical districts of the central state. Under the Republic, they were granted a measure of political autonomy by the 1948 Italian Constitution . The original draft list comprised the Salento region (which was eventually included in Apulia ); Friuli and Venezia Giulia were separate regions, and Basilicata
406-694: Is quite modest: they keep just 20% of all levied taxes, mostly used to finance the region-based healthcare system . Article 116 of the Italian Constitution grants home rule to five regions, namely the Aosta Valley , Friuli-Venezia Giulia , Sardinia , Sicily , and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol , allowing them some legislative, administrative and financial power to a varying extent, depending on their specific statute. These regions became autonomous in order to take into account cultural differences and protect linguistic minorities. Moreover,
464-403: Is still elected on a regional basis, but the number of senators was reduced from 315 to 200, who are now elected by all citizens aged 18 or older, just like deputies (themselves being reduced from 630 to 400). Italians residing abroad now elect 4 senators (and 8 deputies). The remaining 196 senators are assigned to each region proportionally according to their population. The amended Article 57 of
522-539: Is today Catalonia (in the north-eastern corner of the Iberian Peninsula ). The origins of the ancient Ligurians are unclear, and an autochthonous origin is increasingly probable. What little is known today about the ancient Ligurian language is based on placenames and inscriptions on steles representing warriors. The lack of evidence does not allow a certain linguistic classification; it may be Pre-Indo-European or an Indo-European language . Because of
580-912: The Constitution of Italy originally established that the Senate of the Republic was to be elected on a regional basis by Italian citizens aged 25 or older (unlike the Chamber of the Deputies , which was elected on a national basis and by all Italian citizens aged 18 or older). No region could have less than 7 senators, except for the two smallest regions: Aosta Valley (1 senator) and Molise (2 senators). From 2006 to 2020, 6 out of 315 senators (and 12 out of 630 deputies) were elected by Italians residing abroad . After two constitutional amendments were passed respectively in 2020 (by constitutional referendum ) and 2021, however, there have been changes. The Senate
638-489: The French Prealps . It has a maximum elevation of 1,256 metres (4,121 ft) and an area of about 600 square kilometres (230 sq mi). It is composed of three mountain ranges (from west to east): Lesser Luberon ( Petit Luberon ), Greater Luberon ( Grand Luberon ) and Eastern Luberon ( Luberon oriental ). The valleys north and south of them contain a number of towns and villages as well as agricultural land;
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#1732765656477696-616: The Pisa - Luni - Genoa sea route was now safe. In 222 BC the Insubres , during a war with Romans occupied the oppidum of Clastidium, that at that time, it was an important locality of the Anamari (or Marici ), a Ligurian tribe that, probably for fear of the nearby warlike Insubres, had already accepted the alliance with Rome the year before. For the first time, the Roman army marched beyond
754-731: The Rhodanus , Copper begins to be mined from the middle of the 4th millennium BC in Liguria with the Libiola and Monte Loreto mines dated to 3700 BC. These are the oldest copper mines in the western Mediterranean basin. It was during this period of the Copper Age in Italy that we find throughout Liguria a large number of anthropomorphic stelae in addition to rock engravings. The Polada Culture (a location near Brescia , Lombardy , Italy)
812-469: The first-level NUTS of the European Union . Every region has a statute that serves as a regional constitution, determining the form of government and the fundamental principles of the organization and the functioning of the region, as prescribed by the Constitution of Italy ( Article 123 ). Although all the regions except Tuscany define themselves in various ways as an "autonomous Region" in
870-484: The giunta , and nominates or dismisses its members, called assessori . If the directly elected president resigns, new elections are called immediately. In the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region, the regional council is made up of the joint session of the two provincial councils of Trentino and of South Tyrol. The regional president is one of the two provincial commissioners. Article 57 of
928-455: The 1,500 different species of plants, there are 700 species and sub-species of higher plants and 200 species of lichens. Rich fossil deposits are also preserved here, documenting for example ancient species related to songbirds , as well as an ancestral pelican . The Force de frappe or French strategic nuclear arsenal used to be located on the Plateau d'Albion before being dismantled in
986-647: The Celtic and Italic ones) would have to be found in the Polada culture and Rhone culture , southern branches of the Unetice culture . It is said that the ligurians inhabited the Po valley around the 2,000 B.C., they not only appear in the legends of the Po valley, but would have left traces (linguistic and craft) found in the archaeological also in the area near the northern Adriatic coast. The Ligurians are credited with forming
1044-548: The Constitution provides that no region can have fewer than 3 senators representing it, barring Aosta Valley and Molise, which retained 1 and 2 senators respectively. Luberon The Luberon ( French pronunciation: [lyb(ə)ʁɔ̃] or [lybeʁɔ̃] ; Provençal : Leberon ( classical norm ) or Leberoun ( Mistralian norm ) ) is a massif in central Provence in Southern France , part of
1102-730: The Elder writes in his book "The Natural History" book III chapter 7 on the Ligurians and Liguria: The more celebrated of the Ligurian tribes beyond the Alps are the Salluvii , the Deciates , and the Oxubii (...) The coast of Liguria extends 211 miles, between the rivers Varus and Macra . Just like Strabo, Pliny the Elder situates Liguria between the rivers Varus and Magra . He also quotes
1160-560: The English-speaking world especially through a series of books by British author Peter Mayle chronicling his life as an expatriate settled in the Luberon village of Ménerbes . These are titled A Year in Provence , Toujours Provence and Encore Provence . Another of Mayle's books, a novel set in the Luberon, was made into a film called A Good Year (2006) directed by Ridley Scott , starring Russell Crowe and filmed in
1218-771: The Greek colony of Massalia. The consul, Quintus Opimius, defeats the Transalpine Ligurians, who had plundered Antipolis and Nicaea, two towns belonging to the Massilians. But though the early writers of the Greeks call the Sallyes "Ligures", and the country which the Massiliotes hold, "Ligustica," later writers name them "Celtoligures," and attach to their territory all the level country as far as Luerio and
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#17327656564771276-516: The Latin allies. In addition, the consul Quintus Martius was also killed in the battle. It is thought that the place of the battle and the death of the consul gave rise to the place-name of Marciaso, or that of the Canal of March on Mount Caprione in the town of Lerici (near the ruins of the city of Luni ), which was later founded by the Romans. This mountain had a strategic importance because it controlled
1334-803: The Ligauni above whom are the Suetri, the Quariates and the Adunicates. On the coast we have Antipolis, a town with Latian rights, the district of the Deciates, and the river Varus , which proceeds from Mount Cema, one of the Alps. Transalpine Ligures are said to have inhabited the South Eastern portion of modern France, between the Alps and the Rhone river , from where they constantly battled against
1392-559: The Ligurian peoples living on the other side of the banks of the Var and the Alps. He writes in his book "The Natural History" book III chapter 6 : Gaul is divided from Italy by the river Varus , and by the range of the Alps (...) Forum Julii Octavanorum, a colony, which is also called Pacensis and Classica, the river Argenteus , which flows through it, the district of the Oxubii and that of
1450-579: The Ligurian populations and with this union gave rise to a new phase called the Golasecca culture , which is nowadays identified with the Lepontii and other Celto-Ligurian tribes. Within the Golasecca culture territory roughly corresponds with the territories occupied by those tribal groups whose names are reported by Latin and Greek historians and geographers: The Genoa area has been inhabited since
1508-532: The Po, expanding into Gallia Transpadana. In 222 BC, the battle of Clastidium was fought and allowed Rome to take the capital of the Insubres, Mediolanum (modern-day Milan ). To consolidate its dominion, Rome created the colonies of Placentia in the territory of the Boii and Cremona in that of the Insubres. With the outbreak of the second Punic war (218 BC) the Ligurian tribes had different attitudes. Some, like
1566-511: The Roman colony of Placentia , effectively controlling the most important ford of the Po Valley. During the same period, the Romans were at war with the Apuani. Serious Roman efforts began in 182 BC, when both consular armies and a proconsular army were sent against the Ligurians. The wars continued into the 150s BC, when victorious generals celebrated two triumphs over the Ligurians. Here too,
1624-519: The Romans deported defeated populations in such a high number. In 177 BC other groups of Apuani Ligures surrendered to the Roman forces, and were eventually assimilated into Roman culture during the 2nd century BC, while the military campaign continued further north. The Frinatiates surrendered in 175 BC, followed by the Statielli (172 BC) and the Velleiates (158 BC). The last Apuani resistance
1682-495: The Romans drove many natives off their land and settled colonies in their stead ( e.g. , Luna and Luca in the 170s BC). During the same period, the Romans were at war with the Ligurian tribes of the northern Apennines. By the end of the Second Punic War, however, hostilities were not over yet. Ligurian tribes and Carthaginian holdouts operating from the mountain territories continued to fight with guerrilla tactics. Thus,
1740-628: The Romans were forced into continuous military operations in northern Italy. In 201 BC, the Ingauni signed a peace treaty with Rome. It was only in 197 BC that the Romans, under the leadership of Minucius Rufus, succeeded in regaining control of the Placentia area by subduing the Celelates, Cerdicates, Ilvati and the Boii Gauls and occupying the oppidum of Clastidium. Genua was rebuilt by
1798-593: The army of Hasdrubal Barca , when he arrived in Cisalpine Gaul (207 BC), in an attempt to rejoin the troops of his brother Hannibal. In the port of Savo (modern-day Savona ), then capital of the Ligures Sabazi, triremes of the Carthaginian fleet of Mago Barca , brother of Hannibal, which were intended to cut the Roman trade routes in the Tyrrhenian Sea, found shelter. In the early stages of
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1856-667: The centre-right government led by Silvio Berlusconi proposed a new reform that would have greatly increased the power of regions. The proposals, which had been particularly associated with Lega Nord , and seen by some as leading the way to a federal state, were rejected in the 2006 Italian constitutional referendum by 61.7% "no" to 38.3% "yes". The results varied considerably among the regions, ranging from 55.3% in favour in Veneto to 82% against in Calabria . Number of regions governed by each coalition since 1995: Macroregions are
1914-468: The command of proconsuls Publius Cornelius Cethegus and Marcus Baebius Tamphilus , with the aim of putting an end to Ligurian independence. In 180 BC, the Romans inflicted a serious defeat on the Apuani Ligures, and deported 40,000 of them to the regions of Samnium . This deportation was followed by another one of 7,000 Ligurians in the following year. These were one of the few cases in which
1972-576: The end of the Second Punic War, Mago was among the Ingauni , trying to block the Roman advance. At the Battle of Insubria , he suffered a defeat, and later, died of wounds sustained in the battle. Genua was rebuilt in the same year. Ligurian troops were present at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC, which marked the final end of Carthage as a great power. In 200 BC, the Ligures and Boii sacked and destroyed
2030-681: The exception of the Ligurians, and these, though of a different race, closely resemble them in their manner of life. They inhabit that portion of the Alps which is next the Apennines , and also a part of the Apennines themselves. This zone corresponds to the current region of Liguria in Italy as well as to the former county of Nice which could be compared today to the Alpes Maritimes . The writer, naturalist and Roman philosopher Pliny
2088-518: The fifth or fourth millennium BC. According to excavations carried out in the city between 1898 and 1910, the Ligurian population that lived in Genoa maintained trade relations with the Etruscans and the Greeks, since several objects from these populations were found. In the 5th century BC the first town, or oppidum , was founded at the top of the hill today called Castello (Castle), which is now inside
2146-606: The first article of their Statutes, fifteen regions have ordinary statutes and five have special statutes, granting them extended autonomy. These regions, whose statutes are approved by their regional councils, were created in 1970, even though the Italian Constitution dates back to 1948. Since the constitutional reform of 2001 they have had residual legislative powers: the regions have exclusive legislative power with respect to any matters not expressly reserved to state law ( Article 117 ). Yet their financial autonomy
2204-558: The first villages in the Po Valley of the facies of the pile dwellings and of the dammed settlements , a society that followed the Polada culture , and is well suited in middle and late Bronze Age . The ancient name of the Po river (Padus in Latin) derived from the Ligurian name of the river: Bod-encus or Bod-incus. This word appears in the placename Bodincomagus , a Ligurian town on
2262-408: The first-level administrative divisions of the Italian Republic , constituting its second NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, five of which are autonomous regions with special status . Under the Constitution of Italy , each region is an autonomous entity with defined powers. With the exception of the Aosta Valley (since 1945) and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (2018–2020), each region
2320-467: The founding of Bergamo and Brescia to the Etruscans . The Canegrate culture (13th century BC) may represent the first migratory wave of the proto-Celtic population from the northwest part of the Alps that, through the Alpine passes , penetrated and settled in the western Po valley between Lake Maggiore and Lake Como ( Scamozzina culture ). They brought a new funerary practice— cremation —which supplanted inhumation . It has also been proposed that
2378-420: The government wanted to prevent them from potentially seceding or being taken away from Italy after the defeat in World War II . Each region has an elected parliament, called Consiglio Regionale (regional council), or Assemblea Regionale (regional assembly) in Sicily, and a government called Giunta Regionale (regional committee), headed by a governor called Presidente della Giunta Regionale (president of
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2436-410: The medieval old town. Thucydides (5th century BC) speaks of the Ligures having expelled the Sicanians , an Iberian tribe, from the banks of the river Sicanus , in Iberia. Ligurian sepulchres of the Italian Riviera and of Provence, holding cremations, exhibit Etruscan and Celtic influences. In the third century BC, the Romans were in direct contact with the Ligurians. However, Roman expansionism
2494-415: The northern part is marked by the Calavon , while the southern part is characterised by the Durance . The Luberon is often advertised under the name Lubéron (with an acute accent on top of the "e"); some dictionaries justify that the two spellings are interchangeable. The total number of inhabitants varies greatly between winter and summer, due to a massive influx of tourists during the warm season. It
2552-463: The previous Bell Beaker Culture including the usage of the bow and a certain mastery in metallurgy. Apart from that, the Polada culture does not correspond to the Beaker culture nor to the previous Remedello culture . The Bronze tools and weapons show similarities with those of the Unetice Culture and other groups in north of Alps . According to Bernard Sergent , the origin of the Ligurian linguistic family (in his opinion distantly related to
2610-458: The proconsul Spurius Lucretius in the same year. Having defeated Carthage, Rome sought to expand northwards, and used Genua as a support base for raids, between 191 and 154 BC, against the Ligurian tribes of the hinterland, allied for decades with Carthage. A second phase of the conflict followed (197-155 BC), characterized by the fact that the Apuani Ligurians entrenched themselves on the Apennines, from where they periodically descended to plunder
2668-439: The region. Luberon is particularly rich in biological diversity. There are known to be around 1,500 species of plants, accounting for 30% of the flora and fauna in France, 17,000 species and sub-species of insects with almost 2,300 species of Lepidoptera, or nearly 40% of species living in France, 341 species and subspecies of vertebrate wildlife, 135 species of birds and 21 species of bats or 70% of species present in France. Among
2726-400: The regional committee) or Presidente della Regione (regional president). The latter is directly elected by the citizens of each region, with the exceptions of Aosta Valley and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol regions where the president is chosen by the regional council. Under the 1995 electoral law, the winning coalition receives an absolute majority of seats on the council. The president chairs
2784-438: The regions where it was historically rooted (the red belt of Emilia-Romagna , Tuscany , Umbria and the Marches ). Regions acquired a significant level of autonomy following a constitutional reform in 2001 (brought about by a centre-left government and confirmed by popular referendum), which granted them residual policy competence. A further federalist reform was proposed by the regionalist party Lega Nord and in 2005,
2842-401: The right bank of the Po downstream near today's Turin. According to a legend, Brescia and Barra ( Bergamo ) were founded by Cydno, forefather of the Ligurians. This myth seems to have a grain of truth, because recent archaeological excavations have unearthed remains of a settlement dating back to 1200 BC that scholars presume to have been built and inhabited by Ligures. Others scholars attribute
2900-520: The strong Celtic influences on their language and culture, they were also known in antiquity as Celto-Ligurians . The Ligures are referred to as Ligyes (Λιγυες) by the Greeks and Ligures (earlier Liguses ) by the Romans . According to Plutarch , the Ligurians called themselves Ambrones , which could indicate a relationship with the Ambrones of northern Europe. The geography of Strabo , from book 2, chapter 5, section 28 : The Alps are inhabited by numerous nations, but all Keltic with
2958-451: The surrounding territories. The Romans, for their part, organized continuous expeditions to the mountains, hoping to surround and defeat the Ligurians (taking care not to be destroyed by ambushes). In the course of these wars, the Romans celebrated fifteen triumphs and suffered at least one serious defeat. Historically, the beginning of the campaign dates back to 193 BC on the initiative of the Ligurian conciliabula (federations), who organized
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#17327656564773016-433: The tribes of the west Riviera and the Apuani , allied with the Carthaginians, providing soldiers to Hannibal's troops when he arrived in Northern Italy, hoping that the Carthaginian general would free them from the neighbouring Romans. Others, like the Taurini, took sides in support of the Romans. The pro-Carthaginian Ligurians took part in the Battle of the Trebia , which the Carthaginians won. Other Ligurians enlisted in
3074-417: The valley of Magra and the sea. In 185 BC, the Ingauni and the Intimilii also rebelled and managed to resist the Roman legions for the next five years, before capitulating in 180 BC. The Apuani, and those of hinterland side still resisted. However, the Romans wanted to permanently pacify Liguria to facilitate further conquests in Gaul. To that end, they prepared a large army of almost 36,000 soldiers, under
3132-422: The war, the pro-Roman Ligurians suffered. The Taurini were on the path of Hannibal 's march into Italy, and in 218 BC, they were attacked by him, as he had allied with their long-standing enemies, the Insubres . The Taurini chief town of Taurasia (modern-day Turin ) was captured by Hannibal's forces after a three-day siege. In 205 BC, Genua (modern-day Genoa ) was attacked and razed to the ground by Mago. Near
3190-457: Was a cultural horizon extended in the Po valley from eastern Lombardy and Veneto to Emilia and Romagna , formed in the first half of 2nd millennium BC perhaps for the arrival of new people from the transalpine regions of Switzerland and Southern Germany . Its influences are also found in the cultures of the Early Bronze Age of Liguria , Romagna , Corsica , Sardinia ( Bonnanaro culture ) and Rhone Valley. There are some commonalities with
3248-418: Was directed towards the rich territories of Gaul and the Iberian Peninsula (then under Carthaginian control ), and the territory of the Ligurians was on the road (they controlled the Ligurian coasts and the south-western Alps). Despite Roman efforts, only a few Ligurian tribes made alliance agreements with the Romans, notably the Genuates. The rest soon proved hostile. The hostilities were opened in 238 BC by
3306-420: Was named Lucania . Abruzzo and Molise were identified as separate regions in the first draft, but were later merged into Abruzzi e Molise in the final constitution of 1948, before being separated in 1963. Implementation of regional autonomy was postponed until the first Regional elections of 1970. The ruling Christian Democracy party did not want the opposition Italian Communist Party to gain power in
3364-445: Was subdued in 155 BC by consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus . The subjugation of the coastal Ligures and the annexation of the Alpes Maritimae took place in 14 BC, closely following the occupation of the central Alps in 15 BC. The last Ligurian tribes (e.g. Vocontii and Salluvii ) still autonomous, who occupied Provence, were subdued in 124 BC. Regions of Italy The regions of Italy ( Italian : regioni d'Italia ) are
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