P25
Shepherds and mercenaries: the economy of the Late Iron Age
The Ligurian settlements in the South of Po lived a period of crisis because of the destructive wars
and, consequently, the pauperisation of the trades.
Sheep rearing is the most important economic activity and it was led especially by women and
adolescents whereas the male adults fought as mercenary soldiers in the Punic armies or in southern
Italy.
The Ligurian mercenary soldiers are famous until the II century AC. Indeed, they were slightly
armoured troops with short javelins and slings. To start from the Jugurthine War, they constitute
ordinary troops of the Roman army.
The Punic and the Sardo-Punic bronze coins are the symbol of the enrolment of troops from this
region. These coins were not medium of exchange because the interior Ligurian preserved a pre
monetary nature.
– Small bronze statue that represents a Roman soldier (Villa Giulia Museum, Roma)
– Carved head from a sandstone fragment with leather helmet, V-IV centuries BC., from
   Dogliani (Museo G. Gabetti, Dogliani)
– Distribution Map of the Greek and Punic coins from the Southern Piedmont
In the showcase n. 12, among some bronze decorative elements, there are a fibula, Certosa
type (n. 1.5), bronze armillae (n.2),an iron fibula (n.10); pots and cups of the second part of
the Iron Age (n. 6,7,8)