TARBELLI
Eth. TARBELLI (Eth.Τάρβελλοι, Eth. Τάρβελοι) are mentioned by Caesar among the Aquitanian peoples (B. G. 3.27). They lived on the shores of the Ocean, on the Gallic bay (Strab. iv. p.190), of which they were masters. Gold was found abundantly in their country, and at little depth. Some pieces were a handful, and required little purification. The Tarbelli extended southwards to the Aturis (Adour) and the Pyrenees, as the passages cited from Tibullus (1.7, 9) and Lucan (Pharsal. 1.421) show, so far as they are evidence:-- “Qui tenet et ripas Aturi, quo littore curvoMolliter admissum claudit Tarbellicus aequor.
” Ausonius (Parent. 4.11) gives the name “Tarbellus” to the Ocean in these parts. Ptolemy (2.7.9) places the Tarbelli south of the Bituriges Vivisci, and makes their limits extend to the Pyrenees. He names their city Ὕδατα Αὐγούστα, or Aquae Tarbellicae. [AQUAE TARBELLICAE] Pliny (4.19) gives to the Tarbelli the epithet of Quatuorsignani, a term which indicates the establishment of some Roman soldiers in this country, as in the case of the Cocossates, whom Pliny names Sexsignani. [COCOSSATES.] The country of the Tarbelli contained hot and cold springs, which were near one another. [G.L]