Ancient Veneti Warrios

[damianlz]

I apologise if this is in the wrong spot, but i was wondering if anyone knew about the ancient Venites or venetian warriors? My family on both sides originate from Padova/Treviso and its recently make me wonder what, if any, of the warriors from the ancient venites looked like - primarily in the times of the Etruscan/Latins.

My initial thought was "they were armed just like everyone else" and got an immediate picture of etruscan style armor or italic/hoplite combinations, but given the diversity of the Cisalpine tribes I could understand if this differed. At this time I have been unable to locate much in the way or sources or good reference and I was wondering if anyone else would be able to help?

Thanks
Damian

[Joze Noriker]

Hi,
this is very good question!! Because the ancient Venetians are highly radical political manipulated theme. I had here in Slovenia a clash on the forum of the Venetologian's nationalists wich are promoting the theory of the ancient Venetians some years ago.
Reasons:
1. They don't understand the Hallstattic&Celtic iron age culture individuall, but they says this cultures are venetic cultures; they says the Celts here in our area are mythos they never exist here; they says that the late bronze age culture (UK-Urnfeldculture) is typical Venetic culture.
2. That means, that we all hallstattic&celtic=la Tenne reenactors are "Venetian's" in their eyes
3. They wrote in many books and articles that here in Slovenia we never had celtic culture because this culture is only latter, younger form of the old Venetic culture
4. Wich cultures belongs to the ancient Venetians?
5. In other ex Yugoslavia (Serbia) intelectuals says and they write books about this theme (origins of Homer) that the ancient Venetians are the Slavs =>> the Celts are the Slavs!!
6. In the book Helmets through the time on slovenian language all the Hallstattic Negau helmets are characterised with term "Venetic" and the these that our politics will never says open an clear about their Venetic origin because we are highly manipulated with Celtic&Germanic theories of our origins...

Well seems with the Venetians are big problems. The same problem is with the Illyrians. I found two completely different meaning on different forums: 1. Venetic forum 2. Illyrian forum about the Stefan J. Salzherr von Hallstatt: 1. he is Venetian / 2. he is Illyrian !!
But he is hallstattic warrior, that's all. It is not important, wich ancient "nationality" he "was."

So, be careful with term ancient Venetic/Venetians because the theme is highly political manipulated and we don't know the name of all our native antecestors in our area - that's the truth ...

Joze