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Samnĭum , ii, n. contr. from Sabinium, from Sabini: “ab Sabinis orti Samnites,” Varr. L. L. 7, § 29 Müll.,
I.an ancient country of Italy, in the neighborhood of Latium, whose inhabitants were an offshoot from the Sabines, Liv. 7, 32; Cic. Clu. 69, 197; id. Att. 14, 20, 2; 16, 11, 6; id. Rep. 3, 7 al.—Hence,
A. Samnīs (collat. form of the nom. Samnītis , Cato ap. Prisc. p. 762; Prud. adv. Symm. 2, 515), ītis, adj., of or belonging to Samnium, Samnite: “ager,” Liv. 24, 20: “exercitus,” id. 10, 16 fin.: “bellum,” Plin. 34, 6, 12, § 26: “ursae,” Sil. 4, 560: habitator Samnitis (terrae), Prud. στεφ. 11, 207.— Subst., in plur.: Samnītes , ĭum (gen. Samnitum, Cic. de Or. 2, 79; “but cf. Samnitium,” id. ib. 3, 23 Orell. N. cr.; and so usu. and very freq. in Liv., Plin., and Tac.), m., the inhabitants of Samnium, the Samnites, Varr. L. L. 7, 3, 86 fin.; Liv. 7, 19; 7, 29 sq.; 8, 1 sq.; 9, 1 sq.; Cic. Off. 1, 12, 38; 3, 30, 109; id. Sen. 16, 55 al.—Gr. acc. Samnităs, Flor. 1, 16, 7; Aur. Vict. Vir. Ill. 34, § 6.—In sing.: Samnīs , ītis, m., collect., the Samnites, Liv. 10, 35; Luc. 2, 137.—
2. Transf., the name of Samnites was also given to a class of gladiators who were armed with Samnite weapons, Varr. L. L. 5, § 142 Müll.; Plin. 7, 20, 19, § 81; Liv. 9, 40; Cic. de Or. 2, 80, 325; 3, 23, 86; Inscr. Orell. 2569.—So in sing.: Samnīs , Lucil. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 17, 41; and ap. de Or. 3, 23, 86.—
B. Samnītĭcus , a, um, adj., Samnite: “bellum,” Suet. Vit. 1; Flor. 1, 16, 2: “vasa,” Capitol. Pertin. 8.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (19):
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 14.20.2
    • Cicero, For Aulus Cluentius, 69.197
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 10, 35
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 2.79
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 2.80
    • Suetonius, Vitellius, 1
    • Lucan, Civil War, 2.137
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 34.26
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 7.81
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 7, 19
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 10, 16
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 7, 29
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 9, 40
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 24, 20
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 7, 32
    • Cicero, De Republica, 3.7
    • Cicero, De Senectute, 16
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 2.17
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.12
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