Cultural and linguistic contacts in southern Gaul

Abstract

During the late Iron Age, Southern Gaul presents a range of cultural and linguistic contacts, not only between Celtic- and Iberian-speaking populations, but also between these and peoples from across the Mediterranean, speaking multiple languages, including Greek, Latin, and Etruscan. The epigraphic landscape can be roughly divided into two zones: in the western part up to the River Hérault, Palaeohispanic epigraphy in the north-eastern script is predominant; in the eastern part, local populations adapted the Greek alphabet to write their language, creating so-called ‘Gallo-Greek’ epigraphy. This contribution illustrates how these populations, circumstances, and written texts were intertwined.