The Santoni or Santones (in Ancient Greek: Σαντόνων, Σάντονες) were a Gallic group that lived in the area that later became known as Saintonge during the Iron Age and the Roman period.

Name

These people were called Santonum, Santonos, and Santonis by Caesar around the middle of the 1st century BC. Strabo, writing in the early 1st century AD, referred to them as Santónōn (Σαντόνων). Pliny, in the 1st century AD, called them Santoni. Pomponius Mela and Tacitus, writing in the mid-1st century AD and early 2nd century AD, respectively, also used the name Santonis. Ptolemy, in the 2nd century AD, wrote about them as Sántones (Σάντονες, var. Σάντωνες).

The city of Saintes was recorded in the 1st century AD as Mediolanum Santonum. It was also called a Sanctone in the 10th century and Xainctes in the 11th century. The region of Saintonge was mentioned in the 4th century AD as Santonica tellus. It was later known as Xanctonia in 1242 and Zantonge around 1370. These names come from the Gallic tribe.

Geography

The Santoni lived in the north of the Garonne estuary, in the area known today as Saintonge.

During the Roman period, their main town was Mediolanum Santonum, which is now known as Saintes.

History

Their land was where the Helvetii tried to move in 58 BC, but their attempt failed. They fought against the Helvetii with the Pictones. At first, they worked with Julius Caesar's navy and traded items. Later, Caesar's plans to conquer Gallic tribes caused them to disagree.

They sent 12,000 soldiers to help the Gallic group fight Rome at the Battle of Alesia in 52 BC.