DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0485
468
PERUGIA.-The City.
[chap. tVII.
supposing them not regular military, but the inhabitants of
some border town.7
The style of art is very rigid, yet not deficient in
expression ; and the monument is evidently of early date,
undoubtedly prior to the Eoman conquest.8
Perusia, like Cortona, is of high antiquity. Justin calls
it of Achgean origin ;9 while Servius makes it appear that
it was an TJmbrian settlement.1 Its antiquity is as un-
doubted as its former splendour and importance.2 That
it was one of the Twelve cities of the Etruscan Confedera-
tion is established by abundant testimony.3
We have no record of its early history. The first
mention made of Perusia is of the time of Fabius, who,
after having crossed the dread Ciminian forest, is said by
7 It was supposed by Signor Mel-
chiorri, that this relief represented a
colony going forth to fulfil the row of a
" sacred spring," according to the
ancient Italian rite. Bull. Inst. 1844,
p. 42. Vermiglioli agrees with this
opinion. Bull. Inst. 1844, p. 143. But
this view has been ably shown by
Dr. H. Brunn, to be untenable ; yet
his opinion that it represents a funeral
procession, with human and other vic-
tims to be sacrificed at the tomb to the
manes of the deceased, though inge-
niously supported (Ann. Inst. 1846, pp.
188—202), does not solve every diffi-
culty, and I therefore offer in the text
what seems to me a more plausible
interpretation.
8 Dr. Brunn considers it to be con-
temporary with the earliest paintings in
the tombs of Tarquinii.
An illustration of this singular monu-
ment is published in the Mon. Ined.
Inst. IV. tav. XXXII.
9 Justin. XX. 1.—Perusini quoque
originem ab Achseis ducunt.
1 Serv. ad .iEn. X. 201.—Sarsinates
qui Perusiae consederant. The Sar-
sinates were an ancient Umbrian tribe,
who inhabited the Apennines. Polyb.
II. 24, 7 ; Strabo, V. p. 227 ; Plin. III.
19; Festus, v. Ploti. Cluver (II. p.
577) hence concludes that Perusia was
built long prior to the Trojan war,
because the Umbrians, when driven out
of Etruria by the Pelasgi, built Sarsina
beyond the Apennines. Servius seems
to hint that Perusia was founded before
the latter city. Servius (ad ./En. X. 198)
records another tradition, that it was
built by Aules, father or brother of
Ocnus, who founded Mantua, as Virgil
tells us. Ma. X. 200.
2 Appian. Bell. Civ. V. 49—S6(ay
apxa-i&rnros *x°^aV Ka* a£tc5<re<as.
3 Appian (loc. cit.) expressly asserts
it. And Stephanus also (y. Xleppaiaiov),
Livy twice cites it among the chief cities
of Etruria—capita Etruriee—once (IX.
37) classing it with Cortona and Arre-
tium, and again (X. 37) with Volsinii
and Arretium ; here calling the trio—
urbes validissimse.
PERUGIA.-The City.
[chap. tVII.
supposing them not regular military, but the inhabitants of
some border town.7
The style of art is very rigid, yet not deficient in
expression ; and the monument is evidently of early date,
undoubtedly prior to the Eoman conquest.8
Perusia, like Cortona, is of high antiquity. Justin calls
it of Achgean origin ;9 while Servius makes it appear that
it was an TJmbrian settlement.1 Its antiquity is as un-
doubted as its former splendour and importance.2 That
it was one of the Twelve cities of the Etruscan Confedera-
tion is established by abundant testimony.3
We have no record of its early history. The first
mention made of Perusia is of the time of Fabius, who,
after having crossed the dread Ciminian forest, is said by
7 It was supposed by Signor Mel-
chiorri, that this relief represented a
colony going forth to fulfil the row of a
" sacred spring," according to the
ancient Italian rite. Bull. Inst. 1844,
p. 42. Vermiglioli agrees with this
opinion. Bull. Inst. 1844, p. 143. But
this view has been ably shown by
Dr. H. Brunn, to be untenable ; yet
his opinion that it represents a funeral
procession, with human and other vic-
tims to be sacrificed at the tomb to the
manes of the deceased, though inge-
niously supported (Ann. Inst. 1846, pp.
188—202), does not solve every diffi-
culty, and I therefore offer in the text
what seems to me a more plausible
interpretation.
8 Dr. Brunn considers it to be con-
temporary with the earliest paintings in
the tombs of Tarquinii.
An illustration of this singular monu-
ment is published in the Mon. Ined.
Inst. IV. tav. XXXII.
9 Justin. XX. 1.—Perusini quoque
originem ab Achseis ducunt.
1 Serv. ad .iEn. X. 201.—Sarsinates
qui Perusiae consederant. The Sar-
sinates were an ancient Umbrian tribe,
who inhabited the Apennines. Polyb.
II. 24, 7 ; Strabo, V. p. 227 ; Plin. III.
19; Festus, v. Ploti. Cluver (II. p.
577) hence concludes that Perusia was
built long prior to the Trojan war,
because the Umbrians, when driven out
of Etruria by the Pelasgi, built Sarsina
beyond the Apennines. Servius seems
to hint that Perusia was founded before
the latter city. Servius (ad ./En. X. 198)
records another tradition, that it was
built by Aules, father or brother of
Ocnus, who founded Mantua, as Virgil
tells us. Ma. X. 200.
2 Appian. Bell. Civ. V. 49—S6(ay
apxa-i&rnros *x°^aV Ka* a£tc5<re<as.
3 Appian (loc. cit.) expressly asserts
it. And Stephanus also (y. Xleppaiaiov),
Livy twice cites it among the chief cities
of Etruria—capita Etruriee—once (IX.
37) classing it with Cortona and Arre-
tium, and again (X. 37) with Volsinii
and Arretium ; here calling the trio—
urbes validissimse.