ancient Italic tribes of the Osco-Umbrian-Sabel-lian branch, including the Hirpini, Pentri, Caraceni, and Caudi-ni.
The Samnites were mountain tribes who engaged primarily in livestock raising. Coming down from the mountains in the fifth century B.C., some of the Samnites occupied the western and southwestern Apennine Peninsula. These Samnite tribes, mixing with the local Aurunci, Aenotrians, and others, became known as the Campanians, Lucanians, and Bruttii. They preserved features of a primitive communal system until they were conquered by Rome.
In the fourth century B.C. a military alliance of tribes was formed headed by the Samnites and called the Samnite Federation. In the second half of the fourth century and the early third century B.C., the Samnites waged wars against Rome, which ended with their defeat. They supported Pyrrhus and Hannibal during their campaigns against Rome. The Samnites fought against Rome in the Social War of 90–88 B.C. They were almost entirely exterminated by the Roman general Sulla in the first century B.C.