Veii

Veii (also Veius; Italian: Veio) was an important ancient Etruscan city situated on the southern limits of Etruria and 16 km (9.9 mi) north-northwest of Rome, Italy. Today, it lies in Isola Farnese, within the comune of Rome. Many places linked to the city-state of Veii are found in Formello, just to the north, which got its name from the drainage channels built by the Veians.

Veii was the richest city of the Etruscan League. For over 300 years, it switched between fighting and making alliances with the Roman Kingdom and later the Republic. Finally, in 396 BC, Roman general Camillus led his army to victory in the Battle of Veii. Even after this, Romans continued to live in Veii.

Today, the area where Veii stood is protected as part of the Parco di Veio, a park created by the regional authority of Lazio in 1997. This helps preserve the history and ruins left behind by this ancient city.

Site

The city of Veii was located on a large plateau made of a special kind of rock called tuff. It covered an area of 190 hectares, which is about 470 acres. Nearby flowed the Valchetta river, which eventually joined the Tiber River. This helped Veii grow because it was close to important trade routes.

Veii was known for trading with faraway places like Greece and Phoenicia. Many pieces of ancient Greek pottery have been found there, dating back to the 8th century BC. The most important temple in Veii was dedicated to the goddess Juno. Another big site was the sanctuary of Minerva, built in the 7th century BC. It had beautiful decorations made of colorful terracotta, some of which are still on display today.

Veii was one of the twelve cities in the Etruscan League, a group of cities that worked together and shared similar traditions and language. The people of Veii made many sculptures and statues from terracotta, showing everyday life and important events. They also created fancy pottery and later started using bronze for things like horse harnesses, weapons, and jewelry.

When people in Veii died, they were either buried or their bodies were burned. In harder times, burning was more common, but even then, they kept special items in small tombs to remember their loved ones. Many of these tombs and items have been found by archaeologists.

History

The earliest signs of people living in Veii date back to the 10th century BC, during the Late Bronze Age. At first, small groups of people lived in scattered homes across a wide area. By the 8th and 7th centuries BC, these settlements grew closer together, forming a town with organized streets around a central square. During these early times, homes were simple wooden structures with thatched roofs.

Veii had periods of conflict with nearby Rome. According to ancient writers, Veii fought against Rome as early as the 8th century BC. Later, in 406 BC, Rome began a long siege of Veii. After ten years, the Roman general Camillus led a clever attack that captured the city in 396 BC.

After the Romans took over, Veii became part of Rome and was called “Roman Veii.” Though it never regained its former greatness, the area remained important. Over time, Veii was largely abandoned and forgotten until it was rediscovered in the 17th century.

The land around Veii, known as the ager Veientanus, covered a large area south of the Tiber River. In modern times, this area became part of Rome’s suburbs. In 1997, a natural park was created to protect part of this historic landscape.