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.