an ancient province of Italy, was bounded on the N. by the Gallic Senones, on the W. by the Umbrians and Sabines, on the S. by the Vestini, and on the E. by the Adriatic Sea. It was a country of romantic beauty. The line of the Apennines ran along the western frontier. A series of heights, shooting off from the eastern side of this central branch, and undulating gradually downwards to the sea-shore, occupied the entire district. Extensive forests waved on the ridges, fruitful orchards and olive-yards basked on the slopes, and fertilizing mountain streams meandered through the valleys. In that delightful region the Picentes seem, during the early periods of their recorded history, to have enjoyed considerable prosperity. They remained long in undisturbed tranquility, while the neighbouring tribes were vainly struggling against the alluring ambition of Rome. That power condescended in 299 B.C. to enter into an alliance with them. Even when they were at length obliged, in 268 B.C., to bow before the irresistible destinies of the Romans, they suffered little injury. It was not until the outbreak of the Social War, in 90 B.C., that the Picentes appear to have experienced the toils and calamities of a great struggle. Then they assumed an active and zealous part in the general revolt against Rome. Their capital city, Asculum, gave the signal of in- Picerno by assassinating the Roman proconsul. Their armies kept the Roman general Cn. Pompeius Strabo for a long time at bay. Nor when the tide of battle began to turn against them did their courage waver. They continued to fight until in 89 B.C. they were put down by sheer force. The history of Picenum after this period contains little else than an account of the frequent changing of boundaries of the country.

The most important towns of the Picentes were Ancona, on the sea-coast, and Auximum (Osimo), Asculum (Ascoli), and Hadria (Atri), in the interior.