Etruscans - The Greeks called these people Tyrrhenia
or Tyrsenia; the Romans called them Etrusci or Tusci. They called
themselves Rasenna.
The Etruscans were at their greatest power between 700 and 500
B.C. The area of the Italian peninsula that they dominated was known as Etruria
and includes an area from modern Tuscany to Rome. The Etruscans also controlled a small
area in the Campania region which includes modern Salerno and Pompeii -- close neighbors of Corleto Monforte. The Etruscans
appear to have settled on sites that were Villanovan villages. Where did the Etruscans
come from? The ancient Greek historian Herodotus suggested in his book The
Histories that the Etruscans immigrated from the small country of Lydia in Asia
Minor. Although another Greek historian, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, believed that the
Etruscans were indigenous people, the Roman historian Livy and the Greek historian
Polybius agreed with Herodotus. Indeed, archeological digs support the view that the
original Etruscans were an Oriental or Middle Eastern people (emigrating from somewhere
between Syria and the Hellespont) and first settled in the the marshy, coastal land
of the Tuscany region around 900 B.C. Etruscan power began to decline in the 5th
century B.C. as they were challenged by other groups. The Romans conquered Etruria
about 283 B.C. Gradually the Etruscans assimilated into the Roman culture.
Ligurians - The Ligurians are an ancient Italic people believed to be indigenous to the
northwestern Mediterranean coast, from the mouth of the Ebro River in Spain to the
mouth of the Arno River in Italy. (Today Liguria is a region in the northwest area
of Italy.) These people emerged from Neolithic times and they lived in
scattered, remote village settlements. Ancient authors described them as rough,
strong and bold people. The Romans's experienced the fierceness of the Ligurians as they
were expanding their empire and grew to deplore the Ligurians (they conquered the
Ligurians during the second century B.C.) Despite their boldness, the growth of
Etruscan power in the Po valley and invasions by the Gauls and other peoples confined the
Ligurians primarily to the Alps and the Apennines. Lucca, for example, a city that
today is in modern Tuscany, was founded by Ligurians. Lucca was at the border of the
Ligurian and Etruscan populations, but was inhabited primarily by Ligurians. In 180
B.C., at time when Rome controlled the entire Italian Peninsula, many
Ligurians were transported to the Samnium region of ancient Italy-- a region which today
includes Campania.
Latini (Latins)-
This Italic agricultural and pastoral
tribe lived in the area of the Alban Hills, just to the south of the mouth of the Tiber
river. (This general area became known as Latium.) The Latini were shepherds and farmers
(descendants of Villanovans?), living among the other Italian tribes, such as the Sabines,
Samnites, Umbrians, Aequians, and Volscians. The Latini and the Sabine are believed to
have founded Rome.
Sabini (Sabines)-
Ancient people of central Italy. They lived in
the mountainous country east of the Tiber river (Sabine Amiternum). This area
was north of the Latins & Aequi and south of the Umbrians & Picenes. They
spoke Oscan which was the primary language of central Italy. The Sabini most likely
were the ancestors of the Lucani. Because Corleto Monforte was founded by the Lucani and
because the Vigorito family may be indigenous to Corleto we, the Vigortios, may have
originated from the Sabines. The Sabines are considered to have cofounded the ancient city
of Rome along with the nearby tribe known as the Latini. Legend has it that Rome was
formed (on the Palatine hill) April 23, 753 B.C. by Romulus. Romulus invited the men of
the nearby Sabine tribe to join in a ceremony. His real plan, however, was for his men to
take Sabine women and marry them in order to increase the population and build the city.
The Sabine men were furious and declared war on the Latins, but war was averted by the
"kidnapped" women having accepted their Latin husbands. Thus, together the
Sabines and the Latins worked to build Rome. The Sabine chief Titus Tatius co-ruled with
Romulus. When Romulus suddenly disappeared (and subsequently declared a god) another
Sabine became king- Numa Pompilius (717-673). After the death of Pompilius, a Latini,
Tullus Hostilius, became king. Hostilius assigned an Etruscan Lucumo (a chief) as his
household guardian who ultimately became the first Etruscan King of Rome - Lucius
Taruinius Priscus (? - 578 B.C.). During his reign Rome urbanized and the growth of the
Roman civilization began in earnest. The Roman general Manius Curius Denatus
(290-272 BC) conquered the remaining Sabine tribes throughout central Italy in 290
BC. In 268 B.C. they were granted full Roman citizenship
Sabelli - These people were descendants of the Sabini and they called
themselves the Safineis. When the land occupied by a Sabini tribe could no longer
sustain its people the adults of the tribe claimed "Primavera Sacra".
During the "Sacred Spring" the youth were given goods and the animals born that
year and asked to leave their home in search of new land to settle a new colony. According
to Strabo (translated by Hamilton, 1854) the name Sabelli is the diminutive form of
Sabini-- "little Sabines". These migrations occurred frequently and as they grew
in number and power the Sabelli conquered Campania (450-420 B.C.), Lucania (420-390 B.C.),
and Brutti (356 B.C.)
Samnites -This
Italic group of people are believed to be descendants of the Sabines (the Greeks called
them Saunites). The name identifies a 
tribe populating the
ancient area of Samnium (in the Apennine area of the modern regions of Molise and
Campania). These people were, like their ancestors, mountain people who spoke Oscan.
They moved from central-southern Apennines towards the fertile lands of
Campania. The
Samnites were described by Pliny as having a more vigorous temperament than any other
italic tribe on the peninsula. The Samnites were divided into four tribal states
(Caraceni, Caudini, Hirpini, Pentri), each administered by a meddix (a tribal chief) 
These tribal states were linked together in a confederation led by a generalissimo
in wartime. As they grew in number and strength they rapidly conquered the flourishing
towns of Capua (438 BC) and Cuma (421 BC). They also conquered Paestum which had already
been occupied by a group that descended from their own tribe- the
Lucanians. The
Romans engaged in 3 major Wars with the Samnites. The first war (343-341) gave the
Romans control of northern Campania; in the second war (327-321, 316-304) the Romans took
control of Apulia, Lucania, and southern Campania. During the third war (298-290) the
Romans took control of most of the Italian peninsula.
Lucanians - The Samnites, like their ancestors the Sabini, often declared
"Primavera Sacra". According to ancient historian and scientist Pliny the
Elder (Plinio il Vecchio), who died in the Vesuvius eruption on Aug. 24 79 A.D., one
of the Samnite migrations was led by a man named Lucius around 600 - 550 B.C. These
people became known as the Lucani and they grew to be a strong Italic power. The Lucanians
first occupied the city Eburun (Eboli). As they traversed the mountains following
the Sele river they occupied the ancient cities of Vulceium (today it is
Buccino) and Ursento. Next they took Numistro, founded Abella, and conquered
Bantia. As they
moved along the 
Tanagro river they founded Atella and Teggiano. As they migrated
further they founded the ancient city of Sontia (today's Sanza) and conquered the Grumento
along the Agri river. The entire area of southern Italy that they occupied became known as
Lucania. Today much of the ancient land of Lucania is the province of Basilicata and
the southern part of Campania. As the Lucani were
expanding south through Campania they passed through the modern provinces of Avellino and
Salerno- Vigorito territory. It is believed that the
Lucani first conquered the Greek settlements (inhabited by a tribe called Enotrio)
of Montepruno (Roscigno) and Phasis (Sant'Angelo a Fasanella) around 500-470 B.C. In order to dominate these two ancient Greek settlements,
especially the town of Phasis nestled in the Valley of Fasanella, the Lucani built
Coryletum (Corleto Monforte) which overlooks the valley. By 400 B.C. the Lucani also
conquered the Greek city of Poseidonia (Paestum) whose ruins are still present and are a
significant tourist attraction. It is a possibility, therefore, that the Vigoritos are of
Lucan descent..
Brutti -
The Lucani appeared near Laus about 390 B.C. defeating the Thurii and introducing
their Oscan language to the area. In 356 the Oscanized inhabitants of this area asserted
their independence from the Lucani and became known as Bruttii, probably an ancient name
which the Lucani adopted as their word for "run-aways".
Greeks -The Greeks arrived in southern Italy about 800 BC. They
came from Euboea, Argolis, Locris, Crete and the Aegean islands, settling along on the
southern coasts of the peninsula (from Campania to Apulia) and eastern and southern
Sicily. The term `Magna Graecia' (greater Greece) describes a civilization made up of many
Greek tribes that lived in lower Italy. Interestingly, Corleto Monforte is
located in the Campania region that was the border between Magna Graecia and the italic
peoples (e.g., Etruscan, Lucani, & Latini). Indeed,
it is believed that the Lucani built 
Coryletum (Corleto Monforte) on a ridge of the Alburni mountains to dominate
the conquered Greek towns of Montepruno (Roscigno) and Phasis (Sant'Angelo a Fasanella) in the valley below. The Achaeans (of Dorian origins) were among the first Greeks to
settle on the Italian coasts. They founded towns like Taranto, Metaponto,
Poseidonia (Paestum), and Sibari. The Locrians and then the Chalcidians from Euboea
followed the Achaeans, founding Naxos (Taormina), Zancle (Messina) and, after the
occupation of Pitecusa (Ischia), Cuma in Campania. The Corinthians founded Siracusa and
the Megarians founded Megara Hyblaea on the Gulf of Augusta.
Romans -The
small town on the Palatine hill in Latium (modern Lazio) founded by the Latini and Sabini
and named after Romulus grew into the mighty Roman Empire. The Roman expansion reached the
Campania area approximately 340 B.C. In 325 B.C. the Romans asked the Lucani for help in
defeating the Samnites. For many years the Lucani alternated their alliance with the
Romans often fighting with them and more often fighting against them. The Lucani's final
battle against the Romans occurred in 90 B.C. Unlike previous wars, which were
attempts to conquer the Romans, this final war was a social war initiated by the
Lucani to gain citizenship in the Roman empire. The Lucani lost the war but
nevertheless became Roman citizens along with all the other tribes in the Campania region.
Of course, at this time Corleto also became a Roman town.
