The Etymology of the River Tiber: Varro, On the Latin Language, Book V 30

I am spending this month in Italy with students.  I will be in Rome three or four times. Varro is helping me stock upon anecdotes to give the appearance of erudition….

“There are two traditions about the name of the Tiber. For both Etruria and Latium believe that the river is their own. There have been those who claim that the river was first called the Thebris after a nearby ruler of the Veians. There are authors who report that the early name was changed to honor Tiberinus, the Latin king, after he died there—since, as they claim, this is his burial site.”

Sed de Tiberis nomine anceps historia. Nam et suum Etruria et Latium suum esse credit, quod fuerunt qui ab Thebri vicino regulo Veientum, dixerint appellatum, primo Thebrim. Sunt qui Tiberim priscum nomen Latinum Albulam vocitatum litteris tradiderint, posterius propter Tiberinum regem Latinorum mutatum, quod ibi interierit: nam hoc eius ut tradunt sepulcrum.