List of ancient peoples of Italy

This list of ancient peoples living in Italy summarises the many different Italian populations that existed in antiquity.

On the other hand, some Italian peoples (such as the Rhaetians, Camuni, Etruscans) likely spoke non- or pre-Indo-European languages.

Some of them were Pre-Indo-Europeans or Paleo-Europeans while, with regard to some others, Giacomo Devoto proposed the definition of Peri-Indo-European (i.e. everything that has hybrid characters between Indo-European and non-Indo-European).

This could imply that they are descended from a common ancestor and/or Proto-Celtic and Proto-Italic developed in close proximity over a long period of time.

[42] Overall, the genetic differentiation between the Latins, Etruscans and the preceding proto-villanovan population of Italy was found to be insignificant.

Ethnolinguistic map of Italy in the Iron Age , before the Roman expansion and conquest of Italy
Ancient Sardinian and Corsican tribes described by the Romans.
Terracotta statue of a young woman, late 4th–early 3rd century B.C., Etruscan Terracotta
Etruscan terracotta head
Tarquinia Tomb of the Leopards
The map shows the most important archaeological sites of Sicily related to pre-Hellenic cultures, as well as the possible extent of the cultures of the Elymians , Sicani and Sicels .
Samnite soldiers from a tomb frieze in Nola 4th century BC.
The Warrior of Capestrano , a South Picene statue
Map of Cisalpine Gaul showing in blue the approximate distributions of Celtic populations in the area during the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.
A reproduction of a Ligure helmet
Ancient Greek colonies and their dialect groupings in Southern Italy (the so-called " Magna Graecia ")
Fresco of dancing Peucetian women in the Tomb of the Dancers in Ruvo di Puglia , 4th-5th century BC
Incineration and inhumation in Iron Age Italy
Nuraghe Santu Antine in Torralba
Archaeological finds of Canegrate culture
Detail of fresco from the Lucanian tomb, 4th century BC