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Dennis, George
The cities and cemeteries of Etruria: in two volumes (Band 2) — London, 1848

DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0321

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304 VETULONIA. [chap, xlviii.

it.6 In truth, the little mention made of it by ancient
writers, seems to mark it as having ceased to exist at or
before the time of Roman domination.7 The total silence
of Livy and Strabo is also thus best explained. The
absence of Roman remains on the site of this city is in
accordance with this view. Yet that Vetulonia existed,
or rather re-existed, in Imperial times, is proved by the
mention made of it by Pliny and Ptolemy, and by an
inscription found at Arezzo.8 The many Roman remains
in the immediate vicinity of this site, and further inland,
probably belong to that colony; and it is not unlikely that
the ancient city, like Veii, had previously lain desolate for
centuries, and that when a colony was to be established, a
neighbouring spot was chosen in preference to the original
site, which was abandoned as too near the unhealthy
swamps of the coast.

I have the satisfaction of learning that my opinion as to
this city being the long-lost Vetulonia, is concurred in by
some of the leading antiquaries of Rome—Germans as
well as Italians. But be it Vetulonia or not, it is manifest
that it must have been of great importance in the early
days of Etruria ; as it is surpassed but by one city of that
land in size, and by none in naval and commercial advan-
tages of situation.

6 Signor Pasquinelli remarks that even specifies the period of the city's

from the confusion in which the blocks destruction,

of masonry were found, overturned in s Grater, p. 1029, 7.—

the foundations of the buildings, min- Q . spvrinnae . q . f.

gled with fragments of pottery, with P------qvintiano

burnt matter and fused metal, this city eq, . pvbl . lavr . lavin

had probably undergone a violent de- aedil . iivra . cvrat

struction. kalend . pleb . arret

1 This was given out by Dempster cvr.....vbl . vetvlo

(Etrur. Reg. II. p. 56) as a mere nensivm . plebs

conjecture ; but has been assumed vrbana

as a fact by a recent writer, who i . d . d . D
 
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