Volsinii

This article is about the two ancient Roman towns. For other uses, see Volsinii (disambiguation).
Bolsena at the site of Roman Volsinii.
42°38′41″N 11°59′09″E / 42.64472°N 11.98583°E / 42.64472; 11.98583
Orvieto, candidate for the location of Etruscan Velzna. Etruscan antiquities there are extensive.
42°43′N 12°06′E / 42.717°N 12.100°E / 42.717; 12.100

Volsinii or Vulsinii (Etruscan: Velzna or Velusna; Greek: Ouolsinioi, Ὀυολσίνιοι;[1] Ὀυολσίνιον[2]), is the name of two ancient cities of Etruria, one situated on the shore of Lacus Volsiniensis (modern Lago di Bolsena), and the other on the Via Clodia, between Clusium (Chiusi) and Forum Cassii (Vetralla).[3] The latter was Etruscan and was destroyed by the Romans in 264 BC following an attempted revolt by its slaves, while the former was founded by the Romans using the remainder of the Etruscan population rescued from the razed city.[4]

Modern Bolsena, Italy, in the region of Lazio, descends from the Roman city. The location of the Etruscan city is debated. Umbrian Orvieto, about 14 km (8.7 mi) from Bolsena, is a strong candidate.

  1. ^ Strabo Geography 5.2.9 records it under this name as a city in the interior of Tyrrhenia and says that there was a lake near ("peri") it.
  2. ^ Ptolemy Geography iii.1.50 lists this form of the name as a city among the Tusci.
  3. ^ Antonine Itinerary; Tabula Peutingeriana.
  4. ^ Ihne, Wilhelm (1871). The history of Rome (English ed.). London: Longmans, Green, and Co. pp. 479–481.