Volsinii

Volsinii, Etruscan Velzna, ancient Etruscan town on the site of present-day Bolsena (Viterbo province, Italy). At an unidentified neighbouring site was a temple to Voltumna, which was the headquarters of the 12-city Etruscan League and the site of the annual assemblies of the Etruscans.

Excavations at Bolsena have uncovered huge double walls surrounding the group of small hills over which the city was built. A system of lateral walls within these enabled its defenders to cut off portions of the city and retreat behind further positions. On the highest of the enclosed hills, the acropolis was situated; on the surrounding plateau of Mercatello was the main residential area.

The Volsinienses attacked Roman lands in 392 bc, but little is known of their relations with Romans until Lucius Postumius Megellus defeated them in 294. In 265 the Romans were called in to check civil strife in the city, and their influence probably dates from that time. They appear to have persuaded the citizens of Volsinii to transfer to another site within their territory, probably Orvieto. Roman citizenship was granted to Volsinii in about 90 bc, and under Rome it grew proverbially wealthy.