OSQUIDATES
Eth.
OSQUIDATES one of the peoples of Aquitania mentioned by Pliny (
4.19).
He mentions Osquidates Montani and Osquidates Campestres, but he enumerates many names between the two, from which we may conclude that the Campestres did not border on the Montani, for if they had, it is probable that he would have enumerated the Campestres immediately after the Montani instead of placing between them the names of eleven peoples. Beside this, we must look flit the Montani on the north side of the Pyrenees and in the valleys of the Pyrenees, and the Campestres in the low country of Aquitania.
There are no means for determining the position of either the Montani or the Campestres, except from the resemblance between the ancient and the modern names in this part of Gallia, which resemblance is often very great. Thus D'Anville supposes that the Osquidates Montani may have occupied the valley of
Ossau, which extends from the foot of the Pyrenees to
Oleron, on a branch of the
Adour. This is probable enough, but his attempt to find a position for the Campestres is unsuccessful.
[
G.L]
