DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0143
chap, i.] VEII ONE OF THE TWELVE. 41
Sodo, or solid, being a term commonly applied to natural bridges, or
to such as in their massive character resemble them.
Note IV.—Veii one op the Twelve.
Cluverius (II., p. 532), Niebuhr (I., p. 118), Miiller (II., 1, 2), Micali
(I., p. 140), all regard Veii as one of the Twelve principal cities of Etruria.
It is implied by Livy (II., 6), and Dionysius (V., p. 288), when it united
with Tarquinii, the metropolis of Etruria, in assisting Tarquinius
Superbus to recover his throne. Again, where the example of Veii, in
throwing off the yoke of Servius Tullius, is followed by Caare and Tar
quinii, (Dion. Hal., IV., p. 231), undoubtedly cities of the Confederation;
and, more clearly, where Tullius grants peace to the Twelve Cities, but
mulcts the aforesaid three, which commenced the revolt, and insti-
gated the rest to war against the Romans. It is most decidedly shown
by Dionysius (Frag. Mai, XII. 13), when he calls it " a great and
flourishing city, not the least part of Etruria ;" and also (VI., p. 398),
when he calls Veii and Tarquinii " the two most illustrious cities of
Etruria ;" and again (IX., p. 577), when he says that the Veientes,
having made peace with Rome, " the eleven Etruscan people who were
not parties to this peace having convened a council of the nation,
accused the Veientes, because they had made peace without consulting
the rest." It is also clearly shown by Livy (V. 1), in that the king
of the Veientes was disappointed because another was chosen by
the suffrages of the Twelve Cities to be high-priest of the nation, in
preference to himself. Livy elsewhere (IV. 23) states, that Veii and
Palerii sent ambassadors to the Twelve people, to demand a council
of the nation, at the Voltumnaa Fanuni. This might, at first sight,
be interpreted as indicating these two cities as not of the Twelve;
but on further consideration it will be seen that the term " Twelve
Cities" was a common, or, as Miiller (II. 1, 2, n. 20) calls it, "a
standing expression," and is not opposed to the idea of the two cities
being included. They sought for a convention of the Twelve, of which
they formed a part. Had it not been so they could scarcely have acted
an independent part : the cities to which they were subject would have
made the demand. When, at a later date, Capena joined Falerii in a
similar request, (Liv. V. 17), it should be remembered that Veii was
then closely beleaguered, and Capena being her colony, might aptly act
as her representative. Where Livy mentions the Twelve Cities, after the
fall of Veii, (VII. 21), it can only mean that the number being a fixed one,
in each of the three divisions of Etruria, like the Thirty Cities of Latium,
Sodo, or solid, being a term commonly applied to natural bridges, or
to such as in their massive character resemble them.
Note IV.—Veii one op the Twelve.
Cluverius (II., p. 532), Niebuhr (I., p. 118), Miiller (II., 1, 2), Micali
(I., p. 140), all regard Veii as one of the Twelve principal cities of Etruria.
It is implied by Livy (II., 6), and Dionysius (V., p. 288), when it united
with Tarquinii, the metropolis of Etruria, in assisting Tarquinius
Superbus to recover his throne. Again, where the example of Veii, in
throwing off the yoke of Servius Tullius, is followed by Caare and Tar
quinii, (Dion. Hal., IV., p. 231), undoubtedly cities of the Confederation;
and, more clearly, where Tullius grants peace to the Twelve Cities, but
mulcts the aforesaid three, which commenced the revolt, and insti-
gated the rest to war against the Romans. It is most decidedly shown
by Dionysius (Frag. Mai, XII. 13), when he calls it " a great and
flourishing city, not the least part of Etruria ;" and also (VI., p. 398),
when he calls Veii and Tarquinii " the two most illustrious cities of
Etruria ;" and again (IX., p. 577), when he says that the Veientes,
having made peace with Rome, " the eleven Etruscan people who were
not parties to this peace having convened a council of the nation,
accused the Veientes, because they had made peace without consulting
the rest." It is also clearly shown by Livy (V. 1), in that the king
of the Veientes was disappointed because another was chosen by
the suffrages of the Twelve Cities to be high-priest of the nation, in
preference to himself. Livy elsewhere (IV. 23) states, that Veii and
Palerii sent ambassadors to the Twelve people, to demand a council
of the nation, at the Voltumnaa Fanuni. This might, at first sight,
be interpreted as indicating these two cities as not of the Twelve;
but on further consideration it will be seen that the term " Twelve
Cities" was a common, or, as Miiller (II. 1, 2, n. 20) calls it, "a
standing expression," and is not opposed to the idea of the two cities
being included. They sought for a convention of the Twelve, of which
they formed a part. Had it not been so they could scarcely have acted
an independent part : the cities to which they were subject would have
made the demand. When, at a later date, Capena joined Falerii in a
similar request, (Liv. V. 17), it should be remembered that Veii was
then closely beleaguered, and Capena being her colony, might aptly act
as her representative. Where Livy mentions the Twelve Cities, after the
fall of Veii, (VII. 21), it can only mean that the number being a fixed one,
in each of the three divisions of Etruria, like the Thirty Cities of Latium,