P24
In the Bagienni’s territory
Towards 900 BC a brief climatic instability phase with alluvional phenomenons caused the abandon
of the low riversides. In the Late Iron Age, the Tanaro route becomes the main commercial via
imposed by the Etruscans in the south of the river Po. This zone constitutes the northwest part of the
Bagienni’s territory; its centre was the current zone of Fossano. The Bagienni – a celtic-ligurian
population – derived their name from the beech tree (Indo-European –bhagos), connected to Juppiter
and to the oaths.
During the Vth century BC, the Gallic populations – not necessarily hostile – began to arrive in this
zone: we have an interruption of the trade with the northern Etruria and Gallic cultural elements are
constituted by metallic artefacts and by the morphology of some toponyms (the current village
Verduno, from the Gallic viro-dunum “stable rock”).
In the following phase, the Ligurian groups took shelter in the villages; the Bagienni maintain some
friendly contacts with Genoa, in opposite to the Statielli that preferred Savona. In the Second Punic
War, they are allies with Romans.
In this period, Alba is the most important Bagiennni’s settlement: in the Ligurian language, the word
Alba indicates the main centre of each group. The prehistorical city site has not yet been located but
it is different from the one of the Roman city.
– Situalae from the settlement of the Early Iron Age (IV-II centuries BC) from Breolungi
  (Mondovì)
– Detail of the Tabula Pedemontii antiqui et medii aevi (end of the XVIII century) with
  superposition of the lands occupied by the different ethnic groups of the Liguria
– Bronze spirals and pendants from Bene Vagienna, typical production of the Ascoli Piceno
   area brought by the Etruscan trade of the VI century BC