DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0230
128 CIVITA CASTELLANA. [chap. vi.
Murray's " Hand-book," on account of the alleged insolence
of the landlord, but I have met travellers who tell a dif-
ferent tale. If there be any hesitation on this score, let
the traveller go to La Croce Bianca, in the Gran Piazza,
where he will be certain to find clean and comfortable
accommodation, and every requisite civility and attention
from the buxom landlad}'. Sausages are not now famous
here, as in ancient times.9 Civita Castellana contains scarcely
more than two thousand souls, and extends over but a
small part of the area occupied by the Etruscan city;
which is now for the most part covered with gardens and
vineyards. This city, from its size, must have been of
considerable importance among those of Southern Etruria.
It has been supposed to be Veii, and there is an inscription
in the cathedral to that effect, calling the church " Veiorum
Basilica;" but this opinion has not the slightest foundation
—its distance from Rome being three times greater than
that of Veii, as mentioned by Dionysius.10 Gell supposes
it to have been Feseennium, but gives no reason for
his opinion, in which he follows Miiller and Nardini.1
There is much more probability that it is the ancient
Palerium, or Palerii, so prominent in the early history of
the Roman Republic. My reasons for holding this opinion
will be given in the next chapter, when I treat of the
ruined town, a few miles distant, now called Falleri.
9 Varro(L. L.V.I 11) says they were 10 II. p. 116, ed. Sylb.
called Falisci ventres. So also Martial. ' Gell, I. p. 290.
IV. epig., 46.8., cf. Stat. Silv., IV. 9. 35.
Murray's " Hand-book," on account of the alleged insolence
of the landlord, but I have met travellers who tell a dif-
ferent tale. If there be any hesitation on this score, let
the traveller go to La Croce Bianca, in the Gran Piazza,
where he will be certain to find clean and comfortable
accommodation, and every requisite civility and attention
from the buxom landlad}'. Sausages are not now famous
here, as in ancient times.9 Civita Castellana contains scarcely
more than two thousand souls, and extends over but a
small part of the area occupied by the Etruscan city;
which is now for the most part covered with gardens and
vineyards. This city, from its size, must have been of
considerable importance among those of Southern Etruria.
It has been supposed to be Veii, and there is an inscription
in the cathedral to that effect, calling the church " Veiorum
Basilica;" but this opinion has not the slightest foundation
—its distance from Rome being three times greater than
that of Veii, as mentioned by Dionysius.10 Gell supposes
it to have been Feseennium, but gives no reason for
his opinion, in which he follows Miiller and Nardini.1
There is much more probability that it is the ancient
Palerium, or Palerii, so prominent in the early history of
the Roman Republic. My reasons for holding this opinion
will be given in the next chapter, when I treat of the
ruined town, a few miles distant, now called Falleri.
9 Varro(L. L.V.I 11) says they were 10 II. p. 116, ed. Sylb.
called Falisci ventres. So also Martial. ' Gell, I. p. 290.
IV. epig., 46.8., cf. Stat. Silv., IV. 9. 35.