Twelve Cities
History is most ample concerning the Dodecapoli, the "twelve cities" of the Etruscan League. They have no completely authoritative roster. George Dennis summarizes an explanation that:
Where Livy mentions the Twelve Cities, after the fall of Veii (VII.21), it can only mean that the number being a fixed one ... the place of the city that was separated was immediately supplied by another ....
By the time the Etrurian twelve spring into the light of history, the Etruscan cities to the north have been assimilated by invasions of the Celts, and those of the south by infiltration of the Italics. The table below lists Etruscan cities most often included in the Dodecapoli as well as other cities for which there is any substantial evidence that they were once inhabited by Etruscans in any capacity. Roman and Italian names are given, but they are not necessarily etymologically related. Relationships generally tend to be obvious. For sources and etymologies (if any) refer to the linked articles.
Etruscan cities were autonomous states, but they were linked in this League of Twelve Cities and had a federal sanctuary at the Fanum Voltumnae near Volsinii.
According to Roman historian Pliny the Elder the city of Bolsena was entirely burned up by a bolt from Mars.
Read more about this topic: Etruscan Cities
Famous quotes containing the words twelve and/or cities:
“If we dreamed the same thing every night, it would affect us much as the objects we see every day. And if a common workman were sure to dream every night for twelve hours that he was a king, I believe he would be almost as happy as a king who should dream every night for twelve hours on end that he was a common workman.”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)
“Today as in the time of Pliny and Columella, the hyacinth flourishes in Wales, the periwinkle in Illyria, the daisy on the ruins of Numantia; while around them cities have changed their masters and their names, collided and smashed, disappeared into nothingness, their peaceful generations have crossed down the ages as fresh and smiling as on the days of battle.”
—Edgar Quinet (1803–1875)