Falerii
Falerii Veteres, now Civita Castellana, was one of the chief cities of the duodecim populi of ancient Etruria.
The Ager Faliscus (Faliscan Country), which included the towns of Capena, Nepet, and Sutrium, was close to the Monti Cimini.
The site of the original Falerii is a plateau, about 1100 × 400 m, not higher than the surrounding country (140 m) but separated from it by gorges over 60 m in depth, and only connected with it on the western side, which was strongly fortified with a mound and ditch.
The rest of the city was defended by walls constructed of rectangular blocks of tuff of which some remains still exist.
Strabo's assertion that the population, the Falisci, were of a different race from the Etruscans is supported by the evidence of the inscriptions which have been found here.
The Faliscan language survived "the domination of the [surrounding] Etruscan culture, as well as, for a long time, the expansion of the Romans".
Livy noted that: "As these two States [Falerii and the nearby Capena] were nearest in point of distance, they believed that if Veii fell they would be the next on whom Rome would make war".
[8] In 400 BC the Romans recaptured the lost camp, raided the territories of Falerii and Capena, but did not attack the two cities.
The Romans made a sortie from their camp, put their forces to flight and pursued them killed many of their men.
[9] In 398 BC The Romans raided the territories of Falerii and Capena, "carried off huge spoils and left nothing untouched that iron or fire could destroy".
[10] Livy mentioned Roman campaigns against Veii, of Falerii, and of Capena in 397 BC, but did not give any details.
[11] In that year the Etruscan League held a council "where the Capenates and Faliscans proposed that all the nations of Etruria should unite in a common resolution 'and design to raise the siege of Veii."
They ravaged the countryside and "despoiled the farmers of their possessions, leaving not one fruit-tree in the land nor any productive plant."
When the Faliscans saw the tutor coming back in this fashion, they admired the righteousness of Camillus and sent envoys to him, "entrusting him with their lives and fortunes".
Camillus sent them to Rome and they told the senate that "the Romans, by esteeming righteousness above victory, had taught them to love defeat above freedom and considered themselves "vanquished in virtue".
The senate entrusted the matter to Camillus who demanded the town to pay the wages of the Roman soldiers for that year.
[16] In 359 BC, war broke out between Rome and the Etruscan city-state of Tarquinii because the latter plundered Roman territory adjoining Etruria.
In 357 BC, Faliscan men joined the Tarquinenses and refused to hand back Roman prisoners they had taken to Falerii.
Livy wrote that the consul Gnaeus Manlius accomplished very little and mentioned that he was encamped at Sutrium, in Faliscan territory.
All Etruscans then rose in arms led by Tarquinii and Falerii and advanced as far as the Roman salt works at the mouth of the River Tiber.
[18] In 351 BC the Romans conducted a campaign against Tarquinii and Falerii, ravaging their fields until their resistance was broken.
The Romans won a second battle and the Faiscans' arms, cavalry, goods, slaves and half of their territory were confiscated.
[23][1] Remains of a temple[24] were found at Lo Scasato, at the highest point of the ancient town, in 1888, and others have been excavated in the outskirts.
