The Sabines are an Italic tribe that lives in the central Appennines of ancient Italy, also inhabiting Latium north of the Anio before the founding of Rome.

The above names, English, Latin and Greek, are all exonyms.The Sabine language is scantily attested, mainly by explicit glosses by ancient commentators on classical authors and inscriptions, The commentator gives an alternative word he says is the Sabine.

In recent times one or possibly two Sabine inscriptions have been tentatively identified.

Based on all the evidence the Linguist List classifies Sabine, again tentatively, as a member of the Umbrian Group of Italic languages of Indo-European family.The Sabines divide into two populations just after the founding of Rome, which is described by Roman legend.

The division, however it came about, is not legendary.

The population closest to Rome transplants itself to the new city and unites with the preexisting citizenry, beginning a new heritage that descends from the Sabine but is also Latinized.

The second population remains a mountain tribal state, coming finally to war against Rome for their independence, along with all the other Italic tribes, losing, and being assimilated into the Roman Republic.