The Raeti (name variants: Rhaeti, Rheti, or Rhetii) is the collective "ethnic" name used by the ancient Romans to denote a number of Alpine tribes, whose language and culture may have derived, at least in part, from the Etruscans.

From not later than ca.

500 BCE, they inhabit the central parts of present-day Switzerland and the Alpine regions of north-central Italy.The etymology of the name Raeti is unknown.

It gives rise to the name of the Roman province of Raetia.Ancient sources characterize the Raeti as Etruscan people who were displaced from the Po valley and took refuge in the valleys of the Alps.

But it is more likely that they were predominantly Alpine indigenes who had spoken a tongue related to Etruscan for as long as the Etruscans themselves.The Raeti are divided into numerous tribes, but only some of these are clearly identified in the ancient sources.At least some of the Raeti tribes (those in northeastern Italy) probably spoke the Raetian language as late as the 3rd century CE.

Others (those in Switzerland) were probably Celtic-speaking by the time of the emperor Augustus (ruled 30 BCE - CE 14).The Raeti tribes, together with those of their neighbors to the North, the Vindelici, are subjugated by Roman forces, and their territories annexed to the Roman empire in 15 BCE.

The Roman province of Raetia et Vindelicia is named after these two peoples.

The Raeti tribes quickly become loyal subjects of the empire who contribute disproportionate numbers of recruits to the imperial Roman army's auxiliary corps.