Corsi people facts for kids

The Corsi were an ancient group of people who lived on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. They were so important that the island of Corsica was named after them! They were also one of the three main groups of people living in ancient Sardinia, alongside the Balares and the Ilienses.

Ancient tribes of Corsica

Ancient tribes of Nuragic Sardinia. The Corsi lived in the very north of the island.

The Strait of Bonifacio, showing the coast of Corsica as seen from Sardinia

The Corsi lived in the very north-east part of Sardinia. This area is now called Gallura. An ancient geographer named Ptolemy wrote about them. They lived close to other groups like the Tibulati and Coracenses.

Where Did the Corsi Come From?

Historians and archaeologists have different ideas about where the Corsi originally came from.

The Ligurian Connection

Some experts, like historian Ettore Pais and archaeologist Giovanni Ugas, believe the Corsi might have been part of the Ligurian people. The Ligures were an ancient group from what is now north-west Italy and south-east France.

A Mix of Cultures

Another idea comes from Seneca, a Roman writer who lived in exile on Corsica. He thought the Corsi people were a mix of different groups. He believed they came from various places, including the Ligures, the Greeks, and the Iberians (from what is now Spain and Portugal). This suggests the Corsi were a blend of many cultures.

The Myth of Corsa

There's also an old story, told by the Roman historian Sallust, about how Corsica got its name. The myth says that a Ligurian woman named Corsa was looking after her cattle. She traveled to the island, and it was then named after her.

What Pausanias Wrote

A Greek traveler and writer named Pausanias wrote about the Corsi in his book, Description of Greece. He said that a large group of people left Corsica because of problems there. They moved to Sardinia and settled in the mountains. The people of Sardinia called them Corsicans, using the name they brought from their homeland.

Pausanias also wrote that when the Carthaginians (a powerful ancient civilization) controlled the seas, they conquered most of Sardinia. However, they couldn't conquer the Ilians and the Corsi. These groups were protected from slavery by the strong mountains where they lived.

See also

• List of ancient Corsican and Sardinian tribes
• Paleo-Corsican language
• Nuragic civilization
• Torrean civilization

In Spanish: Corsos (Antigüedad) para niños