Etruscan cities

The area covered by the Etruscan civilzation.

Etruscan cities flourished over most of Italy during the Roman Iron Age, marking the farthest extent of Etruscan civilization. They were gradually assimilated first by Italics in the south, then by Celts in the north and finally in Etruria itself by the growing Roman Republic.

That many Roman cities were formerly Etruscan was well known to all the Roman authors. The Etruscan names of the major cities in this category survived in inscriptions and are listed below. Some cities were founded by Etruscans in prehistoric times and bore entirely Etruscan names. Others were colonized by Etruscans who Etruscanized the name, usually Italic.

The estimates for the largest cities (Veii, Volsinii, Caere, Vulci, Tarquinia, Populonia) range between 25,000 to 40,000 in the 6th century BC.[1][2][3][4]

Twelve cities

History is most ample concerning the Dodecapoli, the "twelve cities" of the Etruscan League. They have no completely authoritative roster. George Dennis[5] summarizes an explanation that:

Where Livy mentions the Twelve Cities, after the fall of Veii (VII.21), it can only mean that the number being a fixed one ... the place of the city that was separated was immediately supplied by another....

By the time the Etrurian twelve spring into the light of history, the Etruscan cities to the north have been assimilated by invasions of the Celts, and those of the south by infiltration of the Italics. The table below lists Etruscan cities most often included in the Dodecapoli as well as other cities for which there is any substantial evidence that they were once inhabited by Etruscans in any capacity. Roman and Italian names are given, but they are not necessarily etymologically related. Relationships generally tend to be obvious. For sources and etymologies (if any) refer to the linked articles.[6]

Etruscan cities were autonomous states, but they were linked in this League of Twelve Cities and had a federal sanctuary at the Fanum Voltumnae near Volsinii.[7]

According to Roman historian Pliny the Elder[8] the city of Bolsena was entirely burned up by a bolt from Mars.

Table of cities in Etruscan, Latin and Italian

Etruscan Latin Italian
Dodecapoli candidates
Aritim, Arritim, Arreti, Areuthes Arrētium Arezzo
Chaire, Chaisrie, Caisra, Kisra Caere, Agylla Cerveteri and its frazione Ceri
Clevsin, Clevsi, Cleusina Clusium, Camars Chiusi
Curtun, Curtna Cortōna Cortona
Perusna, Persna, Pherusina Perusia Perugia
Pupluna, Fufluna, Pupuluna Populōnia Populonia
Tarchuna, Tarchna Tarquinii Tarquinia, Corneto
Vatluna, Vetluna, Vetaluna, Vatalu Vetulōnia Vetulonia
Veia, Veina, Veis Veii Veio
Velathri, Velathera Volaterrae Volterra
Velch, Velcal, Velcl Vulci Volci
Velzna, Velsu, Velznani Volsinii Bolsena or Orvieto?
Other Etrurian[9]
Aisarna Aesernia Isernia
Aisinia, Asinia Exinea, Sinea Signa
Ampiles, Ampli, Ampile Emporium , Empulum Empoli
Amre, Cameria, Amerite Ameria Amelia
Aritma Artiminum Artimino
Arrantia Ripa Arranciae Pomarance
Aruina, Aruna, Priana Piscia Pescia
Bellona, Bellonia Castrum Praedium, Pregium Preggio
Birent, Birenz, Firens, Firez Florentia Firenze
Cahinias Caninium Canino
Cainxna, Canxna, Cainchna Clantianum Chianciano Terme
Cale, Cali Calvis Calvi
Caletra, Chalaitra Marsiliana Marsiliana d'Albegna
Capalu Capalbium Capalbio
Capna Capena Capena
Care, Careia, Careias Careiae, Careae Galera, now abandoned
Carhara, Carhaira Carraria Carrara
Cassina Cassina, Cascina Cascina
Catuna Cetona, Scitonia Cetona
Ceicna, Caicni Caecina Cecina
Cusi, Cuthi Cosa Ansedonia
Felcina, Hulchena Fulginia Foligno
Fernta, Frunth Ferentum Ferento
Ficline Figalinae Figline Valdarno
Ficrine Fregenae Fregene
Fullona Fullonica Follonica
Halethi, Halesi Falerii Civita Castellana
Hepa, Heva Heba (Greek name) Magliano in Toscana
Hortia Corchianum Corchiano
Hurta, Hurt Horta Orte
Icuvina, Ikuvina (Umbrian *Ikuvium) Iguvium, Eugubinum Gubbio
Larthial Larcianum Larciano
Liburna, Leburna Labro Livorno
Luca Luca Lucca
Luni Luni Luni
Manthra Marturanum Barbarano Romano
Martha, Marath Marta Marta
Marturi Podium Bonitii Poggibonsi
Mevana, Mevania Bevania, Maevania Bevagna
Narce Narce Mazzano Romano
Nepete, Nepet Colonia Nepensis Nepi
Northia Nursia Norcia
Nurcla, Orcla Orclae Norchia
Phlera, Velera, Plais Blera Blera
Pisna, Pise, Peithusa, Pithsa Pisae Pisa
Pisturim Pistoriae, Pistorium Pistoia
Pulianu, Purthna, Pulthna Mons Politianus Montepulciano
Rasela, Rusle Rusellae Roselle, Grosseto
Raisne, Rasiniena Rasinianum Rosignano
Ratumna Balneum Regium Bagnoregio
Ruvfna Rufina Rufina
Sabate Trebonianum Trevignano Romano
Sabatia Angularia Sabatina Anguillara Sabazia
Saena, Sena, Saina Saena Siena
Satria Vicus Sartarianus Sarteano
Scansna Scansanum Scansano
Sveama, Sveiam, Suana Suana Sovana
Statna, Staitne, Statues, Staties Statōnia Poggio Buco
Surha Aquipendium Acquapendente
Surina, Surrena, Surna Surrīna, Vetus Urbs Viterbo
Surna, Surrina, Surina Sorianum Soriano
Suthri Sutrium Sutri
Teramna Interamna Terni
Thefarne Tifernum Tiberinum Città di Castello
Tlamu, Tlamun, Telmu, Tulumne, Tlamne Telamōn Talamone
Trepla Trebula Trebula
Tular, Tuter Tuder Todi
Thulfa, Thulpha Tulpha Tolfa
Tusena Tuscana Tuscania
Ucrisla Ocriculum Otricoli
Urcia Vetus Aula, Veter Galla Vetralla
Urcla, Orcla Vicus Orclanus Vitorchiano
Urina, Aurina, Aurinia Saturnia Saturnia
Uvila Bovillae Boville Ernica
Veltha, Veltuna, Veltumna, Voltumna Mons Faliscorum Montefiascone
Velturei Veclanum Vecchiano
Vetumna Vettona Bettona
Vesnth, Vishnth Visentium Bisenzio
Vipena Viblena, Viblenium Bibbiena
Visul, Vipsul, Visal, Viesul Faesulae Fiesole
Vrenth Verentum Valentano

Etruscan Latin Italian
Northern
Arciun Artionis, Vicus Popilius Riccione
Arimna, Harimne Ariminum Rimini
Atria, Hatria Adria Adria
(Berua) Vicentia Vicenza
Cainua Genua Genova
Charumna, Carmna Cremona Cremona
Ceisna Caesena Cesena
Clavna Clavenna Chiavenna
Felsna, Felsina, Velzna Bonōnia Bologna
Felthuri, Velhatre Feltria Feltre
Ficline Forum Livii Forlì
Ficocle Phycocle, Caervia Cervia
Manthva, Manthava Mantua Mantova, Mantua
Melp, Melph, Melphe, Melpu Melpum, Meltium Melzo
Methlan Mediolanum Milano
Misa Misa, Misanum, Mysa Marzabotto
Misala Herberia Rubiera
Muthice, Muntha Modicia Monza
Mutina, Mutna, Muthna Mutina Modena
Parma, Parmna, Paruma Parma Parma
Pathva Patavium Padova
[Pauia] Ticinum, Papia Pavia
Percumsna, Pergomsna, Percme, Percums Bergomum Bergamo
Permu Firmum Fermo
Pilthi, Pilithi Bilitio Bellinzona
Ravena, Ravna Ravenna Ravenna
Spina Spina abandoned
Tarcste Tergeste Trieste
Uscla Oscela Domodossola
Verna, Veruna, Verunia Verona, Vernomagus Verona
Vipitene, Vipitenas, Viptena Vipitenum Vipiteno
Vrixia Brixia Brescia
Southern
Achra, Acre Acerrae Acerra
Amina Picentia Pontecagnano
Anth Antium Anzio
Caithi Caieta Gaeta
Capua, Capeva, Capava, Capuva, Campeva Capua Capua
Cavi, Kavi Gabii Gabi
Cura Cora Cori
Fanacni Anagnia Anagni
Frentina Ferentinum Ferentino
Frusna, Frusina, Fursina, Prusetna Frusino Frosinone
Galatia Casa Irta Caserta
Herclena Hercolaneum Ercolano
Inarime Pitecusa, Greek Pithekoussai Ischia
Irna Salernum Salerno
Irnthi Surrentum Sorrento
Nucra Nuceria Alfaterna Nocera Superiore
Nula (Oscan *Nuvla) Nola Nola
Pumpai Pompeii destroyed
Remnun Tibur Tivoli
Ruma, (Rumna) Rōma Roma
Suessula abandoned
Tarchna, Tarkina Tarracina Terracina
Tuscana, Tuscna Tuscāna Tuscania
Velkha Volcei Buccino
Veltri, Velthri Velitrae Velletri
Corsican
Alalia Aleria Aleria

References

  1. "The Etruscan World". Books.google.dk. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  2. "An Historical Geography of Europe 450 B.C.-A.D. 1330". Books.google.dk. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  3. "The Process of Urbanization of Etruscan Settlements from the Late Villanovan to the Late Archaic Period (End of the Eighth to the Beginning of the Fifth Century B.C.) : Presentation of a Project and Preliminary Results" (PDF). Scholarworks.umass.edu. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. "Production, Consumption and Society in North Etruria During the Archaic and ...". Books.google.dk. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. Appendix to Chapter I, Note IV.
  6. The Bonfantes (2002) pages 222-223 have published a good overall list.
  7. Cary, M.; H.H. Scullard (1979). A History of Rome (3rd ed.). p. 25. ISBN 0-312-38395-9.
  8. Natural History, II, 18
  9. Parts of ancient Etruria near Rome are now in Lazio. This account accepts the ancient boundary along the Tiber.

Bibliography

External links