Il profilo linguistico e alfabetico dell’Oinotría: un bilancio di inizio millennio

Abstract

A remarkable advancement in the knowledge of the archaic population called Oinotroi took place during the last thirty
years, due to both new important findings and a complex interaction with all sciences of antiquity. Linguistically, this
archaic population of southern Italy belonged to the Sabellian group, prior to the Samnite phase featured by the Oscan
language. Culturally and politically the Oinotroi entered the orbit of the Achaean colonies, especially of the Sybaris’
power in the regions of the Tyrrhenian coast in the 6th century BCE. Sybaris’ influence stimulated their important role in
Southern Italy at crossroad of other Greek and non-Greek populations and contributed to create the image of the Oinotroi
reflected by Greek authors. Moreover, the Achaean environment was responsible for the adoption of the Achaean
alphabet and their remarkable Hellenization. The decline of Sybaris’ power and changes of the indigenous societies
gave rise to the disappearance of the system of the Oinotrian communities, which was replaced by the political growth
of the Lucani under the influence of the Samnite culture. Change of alphabet, however, did not interrupt continuity of
local writing practices and contacts with Greek alphabetic varieties. This historical drawing is outlined by a critical
collection of the complete evidence for Oinotroi, contrasting indirect and direct sources as to both proper names and
inscriptions in both Greek and non-Greek languages, so far overlooked. Finally, epigraphic remains, recently discovered,
introduced a considerable refinement on defining the geographical and historical boundaries of Oinotría.