The Latins were an
ancient Italic people who migrated to central Italy, (
Latium Vetus - Old Latium), in the 2nd millennium B.C., maybe from the
Adriatic East Coast and
Balkanic Area, perhaps from pressures by
Illyrian peoples. Although they lived in independent
city-states, the Latins had a common language (
Latin), common
religious beliefs and a close sense of kinship, expressed in the myth that they were all descendants of
Latinus, the father-in-law of
Aeneas. Latinus was worshipped as
Jupiter Latiaris on Mons Albanus (Monte Cavo) during an annual festival that was attended by all Latins, including
Rome, one of the Latin states. The Latin cities extended common right to residence and trade to one another. Rome's territorial ambitions united the rest of the Latins against it in
341 BC, but the final victory was on Rome's side in
338 BC. Consequently some of the Latin states were incorporated within the Roman state, and their inhabitants were given full
Roman citizenship. Others became Roman allies and enjoyed certain privileges.
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LATINI. NEOLATINI. LINGUE LATINE