The Raeti, Rhaeti, Rheti, or Rhetii, were a group of Alpine tribes, possibly at least in part of Etruscan origin, located in the Eastern Alps between Germany and Italy.[1] During the era of ancient Rome, they occupied the central and eastern parts of present-day Switzerland and the Alpine regions of north-central Italy. They gave their name to the Roman province of Raetia.
They were apparently confused with the Lepontii by Strabo, but they were actually separated from them by the Saint Gotthard Pass.[2]
It is believed that they spoke the Raetian language, an extinct tongue that is known only from some inscriptions. From these, it appears that Raetian was related to the ancient Etruscan language, a non Indo-European language which originated in the central Italian region of Tuscany.
Notes
- ^ The Irish historical library by William Nicolson,Edward Lhuyd p.213 [1]
- ^ Illustrations of the passes of the Alps by William Brockedon p.59 [2]
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