HIRPINI, an inland people of Italy who inhabited the southern portion of Samnium. They are sometimes regarded as merely a Samnite tribe, by others they are looked upon as an independent nation. The country they inhabited was the wild and mountainous district traversed by the Sabatus, Calor, and Tamarus, tributaries of the Vulturus, and on the eastern side of the Apennine ridge, the upper course of the Aufidus. In the early history of Rome the Hirpini are found identifying themselves with their Samnite neighbours against their common foes. They seem to have been subdued in the early part of the third century B.C., as in 268 B.C. Beneventum, the key of all their military positions, was colonized by Roman settlers. In the second Punic War the Hirpini appear in history for the first time as an independent people. Revolting from their old conquerors, they joined the Carthaginian invaders, and though they were unable to recapture their stronghold of Beneventum, they remained faithful to Hannibal till the defeat at the Metaurus restored the empire of Italy to his opponents. In the year of that event the Hirpini made their peace with their old masters by betraying into their hands the garrisons of their allies. From this time till the outbreak of the Social War, the Hirpini seemed to have continued steadfast in their allegiance. On that occasion, however, they set the example of revolt to the allies, and might have become formidable enemies, had not the rapid successes of Sulla induced them to repair their error by a complete submission. At the close of this war the Hirpini obtained the franchise, and do not again appear in history as an independent people. Their chief towns were Beneventum, Æculanum, Trivicum, Equus Tuticus, Murgantia, and Aquilonia. The most important of these are given under their respective heads.