Senones

▪ people

      either of two ancient Celtic tribes, or perhaps two divisions of the same people, one living in Gaul, the other in Italy. The Gallic Senones lived in the area that includes the modern French départements of Seine-et-Marne, Loiret, and Yonne. They fought against Julius Caesar in 53–51 BC; in later times these Senones were included in Gallia Lugdunensis. Their chief town was Agendicum (later Senonus, whence Sens).

      The other group of Senones crossed the Alps into Italy, perhaps about 400 BC, and settled on the east coast between Ariminum (Rimini) and Ancona, driving out the Umbrians there. In 391 they invaded Etruria and besieged Clusium. Roman intervention, in reply to an appeal from Clusium, led to the Gauls' capture of Rome in 390. Livy and Diodorus Siculus, but not Polybius, record that the Senones led the Gauls that captured Rome. For the next century the Senones were engaged in hostilities with Rome, but they were finally defeated and expelled by Publius Cornelius Dolabella in 283. Their territory was used either for colonies or for land allotments to individual Roman citizens.

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