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Piceni
ancient people
Also known as: Picenes
- English:
- Picenes
Piceni, Early Iron Age inhabitants of the Adriatic coast of Italy from Rimini to the Sangro River. Men and women dressed in wool; men wore armour, weapons, and ornaments of bronze or iron; women had numerous fibulae, torques, bracelets, girdles, and ornamental pendants. They had two main centres, one at Novilara in the north, and another around Belmonte and Fermo farther south. The Piceni traded with the Greeks as early as the 7th century bc, but there is little evidence of trade with Etruria, except at the inland site of Fabriano. The evidence suggests that Piceni were warlike, with little artistic ability of their own, but wealthy enough to sustain a flourishing trade. In 268 bc their territory was annexed by Rome.