Etruscan cities were a group of ancient settlements that shared a common Etruscan language and culture, even though they were independent city-states. They flourished over a large part of the northern half of Italy starting from the Iron Age, and in some cases reached a substantial level of wealth and power. They were eventually assimilated first by Italics and ancient Greeks in the south, then by Celts in the north and finally in Etruria itself by the growing Roman Republic.
The Etruscan names of the major cities whose names were later Romanised survived in inscriptions and are listed below. Some cities were founded by Etruscans in prehistoric times and bore entirely Etruscan names. Others, usually Italic in origin, were colonised by the Etruscans, who in turn Etruscanised their name (around 9 BC).
The estimates for the populations of the largest cities (Veii, Volsinii, Caere, Vulci, Tarquinia, Populonia) range between 25,000 and 40,000 each in the 6th century BC.
Twelve cities or nations
Of several Etruscan leagues, the Dodecapolis (Greek for "twelve cities") of the Etruscan civilization is legendary amongst Roman authors, particularly Livy.Livy VII.21 However the dodecapolis had no fixed roster and if a city was removed it was immediately replaced by another.George Dennis, the Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria. London, Appendix to Chapter I, Note IV. Available at http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/_Periods/Roman/Archaic/Etruscan/_Texts/DENETR*/home.html By the time the dodecapolis had sprung into the light of history, the Etruscan cities to the north had been assimilated by invasions of the Celts, and those of the south by infiltration of the Italics.
Etruscan cities were autonomous states, but they were linked in the dodecapolis and had a federal sanctuary at the Fanum Voltumnae near Volsinii.
Table of cities in Etruscan, Latin and Italian The table below lists Etruscan cities most often included in the Dodecapolis 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. For sources and etymologies (if any) refer to the linked articles.The Bonfantes (2002) pages 222-223 have published a good overall list.
Etruscan Latin ItalianDodecapolis 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, Felathri Volaterrae Volterra Velch, Velcal, Velcl Vulci Volci Velzna, Velxe, Velsu, Velusna, Velznani Volsinii Bolsena or Orvieto?Other EtrurianParts of ancient Etruria near Rome are now in Lazio. This account accepts the ancient boundary along the Tiber. 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 (Florence) Cahinias Caninium Canino Cainxna, Canxna, Cainchna Clantianum Chianciano Terme 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 Figulinae Figline Valdarno Ficrine Fregenae Fregene Fullona Fullonica Follonica Halethi, Halesi, Phlesnas Falerii Civita Castellana Hepa, Heva Heba 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 Luna Luna 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 Disputed Surha Aquipendium Acquapendente Surina, Surrena, Surna Surrīna, Vetus Urbs Viterbo Surina, Surrina, Surna 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 Veltha, Veltuna, Veltumna, Voltumna Mons Faliscorum Montefiascone Velturei Veclanum Vecchiano Vetumna Vettona Bettona Vesnth, Vishnth Visentium Bisenzio Vipena, Viplnei, Vipienas Viblena, Viblenium Bibbiena Visul, Vipsul, Visal, Viesul Faesulae Fiesole Vrenth Verentum Valentano
Etruscan Latin ItalianNorthern (Etruria Padana) Arciun Artionis, Vicus Popilius Riccione Arimna, Harimne Ariminum Rimini Atria, Hatria Adria Adria (Berua) Vicentia Vicenza Cainua Misa, Misanum, Mysa Marzabotto Cainua, Kainua, or Stalia, Stala Genua Genova (Genoa) 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 Huthine, Huthina Utina, Utinum Udine Manthva, Manthava Mantua Mantova (Mantua) Melp, Melph, Melphe, Melpu Melpum, Meltium Melzo Methlan Mediolanum Milano (Milan) Misala Herberia Rubiera Muthice, Muntha Modicia Monza Mutina, Mutna, Muthna Mutina Modena Parma, Parmna, Paruma Parma Parma Pathva Patavium Padova (Padua) [Pauia] Ticinum, Papia Pavia Percumsna, Pergomsna, Percme, Percums Bergomum Bergamo Permu Firmum Fermo Pilthi, Pilithi Bilitio Bellinzona Purthanas Portus Naonis Pordenone Ravena, Ravna Ravenna Ravenna Spina Spina abandoned Tarcste Tergeste Trieste Trenta Tridentum Trento Uscla Oscela Domodossola Verna, Veruna, Verunia Verona, Vernomagus Verona Vipitene, Vipitenas, Viptena Vipitenum Vipiteno Vrixia Brixia BresciaSouthern (Etruria Campana) Achra, Acre Acerrae Acerra Aisarna Aesernia Isernia Amina Picentia Pontecagnano Anth Antium Anzio Azcule Asculum Ascoli Piceno Caithi Caieta Gaeta Cale, Cali Cales Calvi Risorta Calipulis Callipolis Gallipoli Canuza Canusium Canosa di Puglia 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 Herculaneum Ercolano Inarime Pitecusa, Greek Pithekoussai Ischia Irna Salernum Salerno Irnthi Surrentum Sorrento Marcina Marcina Cava de' Tirreni and Vietri sul Mare Nepulis Neapolis Napoli (Naples) Nucra Nuceria Alfaterna Nocera Superiore Nula (Oscan *Nuvla) Nola Nola Pumpai Pompeii Pompei Regiu Rhegium Reggio di Calabria Remnun Tibur Tivoli Ruma, (Rumna) Roma Roma (Rome) Suessula abandoned Tara Tarentum Taranto Tarchna, Tarkina Tarracina Terracina Uvila Bovillae Frattocchie Velkha Volcei Buccino Veltri, Velthri Velitrae VelletriCorsicanAlalia Aleria AleriaSardinianCaralu Caralis Cagliari
References
Sources
Available in the Gazetteer of Bill Thayer's Website at
Further reading Dennis, George. 1883. The cities and cemeteries of Etruria. 2nd ed. London: John Murray. De Puma, Richard D., and J. Penny Small, eds. 1994. Murlo and the Etruscans: Art and society in ancient Etruria. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Drago Troccoli, Luciana. 2006. Cerveteri. Rome: Libreria dello Stato. Hall, John F., ed. 1996. Etruscan Italy: Etruscan influences on the civilizations of Italy from antiquity to the modern era. Provo, UT: Museum of Art, Brigham Young University. Haynes, Sybille. 2000. Etruscan civilization: A cultural history. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum. Leighton, Robert. 2004. Tarquinia: An Etruscan city. London: Duckworth. Phillips, Kyle M., Jr. 1993. In the hills of Tuscany: Recent excavations at the Etruscan site of Poggio Civitate (Murlo, Siena). Philadelphia: University Museum, University of Pennsylvania. Riccioni, Giuliana. 1979. "Vulci: A topographical and cultural survey." In Italy before the Romans: The Iron Age, Orientalizing, and Etruscan periods. Edited by David Ridgway and Francesca R. Ridgway, 241–76. London and New York: Academic Press. Turfa, Jean MacIntosh, ed. 2013. The Etruscan World. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
External links
Names of the member-cities of the Etruscan Leagues (c. 750–270 BC) in Etruscan and Italian