Deciates

The Deciates (Δεκιῆται) were a Ligurian tribe, dwelling nears Antipolis (Antibes) during the Iron Age and the Roman era.[1]

Name

They are mentioned as Dekiḗtais (Δεκιήταις) by Polybius (2nd c. BC),[2] and as Δεκιατίων (Δεκιατίων) by Ptolemy (2nd c. AD).[3][4] A regio Deciatium is also attested by Pliny (1st c. AD),[5] and an oppidum Deciatum by Pomponius Mela (mid-1st c. AD).[6][4]

Geography

They lived in the Antibes area of what is now France, west of the river Var (Smith, entry on Deciátes; Cosson, pp. 20–23). The border with the Ligurian Oxybii (Ὀξύβιοι) being to the west of Antipolis and east of Forum Julii (Smith, entry on Oxybii).

The exact location of the oppidum Deciatum (or Dekieton) is unknown.[1]

History

In 154 BC, the Deciates besieged Nicaea (Nice) and Antipolis (Antibes), along with the neighbouring Oxybii. Upon a request from the city of Massalia, Rome sent the consul Quintus Opimius, which ended with a Roman legate had been injured. Quintus Opimius then defeated the Deciates and the Oxybii, disarmed them and granted the conquered territory to Massalia.[1]

References

1. Salomone Gaggero 2006.
2. Polybius. Historíai, 33:8
3. Ptolemy. Geōgraphikḕ Hyphḗgēsis, 2:10:5
4. Falileyev 2010, p. entry 3700.
5. Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:35
6. Pomponius Mela. De situ orbis, 2:5:76

Bibliography

• Falileyev, Alexander (2010). Dictionary of Continental Celtic Place-names: A Celtic Companion to the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. CMCS. ISBN 978-0955718236.
• Salomone Gaggero, Eleonora (2006). "Deciates". Brill’s New Pauly.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading

• Cosson, Pierre (1995) Civitas Antipolitana: Histoire du Municipe Romain d'Antipolis.Nice, Serre Editeur. ISBN 2-86410-219-6
• Pliny the Elder, Chorographia, II.69
• Smith, William (1854) Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography.