Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1347

 VOLSCI. continued constantly in the hands of the Romans must have been a severe blow to the power of the Volscians, and may be considered as marking an era in their decline. Throughout this period it is re- markable that Antium, one of the most powerful cities of the Volscians, continued to be on peaceful terms with Rome ; the war was carried on almost exclusively upon the NE. frontier of the Volscians, where they were supported by the Aequians, and Ecetra was the city which appears to have taken the lead in it. The capture of Rome by the Gauls marks the commencement of the fourth period of the Volscian Wars. It is probable that their Aequian allies suf- fered severely from the same invasion of the barba- rians that had so nearly proved the destruction of Rome [Aequi], and the Volscians who adjoined their frontier, may have shared in the same disaster. But on the other hand, Antium, which was evidently at this period a powerful city, suddenly broke off its friendly relations with Rome ; and during a period of nearly 13 years (b. c. 386 — 374), we find the Vol- scians engaged in almost perpetual hostilities with Rome, in which the Antiates uniformly took the lead. The seat of war was now transferred from the Aequian frontier to the southern foot of the Alban hills ; and the towns of Velitrae and Satricum were taken and retaken by the Volscians and Romans. Soon after the conclusion of peace with the Antiates we hear for the first time of Privernum, as engaging in hostilities with Rome, b. c. 358, and it is remark- able that it comes forward single-handed. Indeed, if there had ever been any political league or bond of union aiiiontr the Volsvian cities, it would seem to have been by this time completely broken up. The Antiates again appear repeatedly in arms ; and when at length the general defection of the Latins and Cam- panians broke out in b. c. 34U, they were among the first to join the enemies of Rome, and laid waste the wlicili' sea-''<i:ist of Latiuin, almost to the wallsof Ostia. But they shared in the defeat of the Latin armies, both at Pedum and on the Astura : Antium itself was taken, and received a colony of Romans within its walls, but at the same time the citizens them- selves were admitted to the Roman franciiise. (Liv. viii. 14.) The people of Fundi and Foriniae, both of them probably Volscian cities, received the Roman franchise at the same time, and Tarracina was soon after occupied with a Roman colony. The Privernates alone ventured once more to provoke the hostility of the Romans in B. C. 327, but were severely puiiislieii, and their city was taken by the consul C. Plautius. Nevertheless, the inhabitants were admitted to the Roman Civitas ; at first, indeed, without the ritrlii of suffrage, but they soon afterwards obtained the full franchise, and were enrolled in the Ufentine tribe. The greater part of the Volscians, however, was in- cluded in the Pomptine tribe. Of the fate of the cities that were situated on the borders of the valley of t.ie Trerus, or m ttiat of the Liris, we have scarcely any information ; but there is reason to suppose that wiiile the Antiates and their neighbours were engaged in hostilities with Rome, the Volscians of the inte ior were on their side fully occupied with opposing tlie advance of the Sanmites. Nor were their etibrts in all cases successful. We know that both Arpinum and Fregellae had been wrested from the Volscians by the Samnites, before the Romans made their appearance in the contest (Liv. viii. 23, ix. 44), and it is probable that the other cities of the Volscians readily took shelter VOLSIXIL 1323 under the protection of Rome, for security against their common enemy. It seems certain, at all events, that before the close of the Second Sanmite War (b. c. 304), the whole of the Volscian people had submitted to the authority of Rome, and been ad- mitted to the privileges of Roman citizens. From this time their name disappears from his- tory. Their territory was comprised under the general appellation of Latium, and the Volscian people were merged in the great mass of the Itoman citizens. (Strab. v. pp. 228, 231 ; Plin. iii. 5. s. 9 ; Cic.jjro Balb. 13.) But a rude and simple mountain- people would be naturally tenacious of their customs and traditions ; and it is clear, from the manner in which Juvenal incidentally alludes to it, that even under tlie Roman Empire, the name of the Volscians was by no means extinct or forgotten in the portion of Central Italy which was still occupied by their descendants. (Juv. Sat. viii. 245.) _ The physical geography of the land of the Volscians will be found described in the article Latium. Of the peculiar characters of the people themselves, or of any national customs or institutions that dis- tingui.bhed them from their Latin neighbours, we know absolutely nothing. Their history is a record only of the long struggle wdiich they maintained against the Roman power, and of the steps which led to their ultimate subjugation. This is the only memory that has been transmitted to us, of a people that was for so long a period the most formidable rival of the Roman Republic. [E. H. B.] VOLSINIENSIS LACUS (^ irepi OvoKatviovs AiVj/tj, Strab. v. p. 226: Lago di Bolsena), a con- siderable lake of Etruria, scarcely inferior in size to that of Trasimene. It took its name from the town of Volsinii, wiiich stood on its NE. shore ; but it was also sometimes called Lacus Tarquini- eusis, as its western side adjoined the territory ofTarquinii. (Plin. ii. 96.) Notwithstanding its great size, it is probable, from the nature of the sur- rounding hills and rocks, that it is the crater of an extinct volcano (Dennis, Etruria, vol. i. p. 514). In this lake the river ]Iarta has its source. It abounded in fish, and its sedgy shores haiboured large quantities of water-fowl, with which articles it supplied the Roman markets. (Strab. /. c; Colum. viii. 16) It contained two islands, of whicii, as well as of the lake itself, wonderful stories were related by the ancients. They were remarked to be ever changing their forms (Plin. I.e.), and on one occasion during the Second Punic War its waters are said to have flowed with blood. (Liv. xxvii. 23.) The shores of the lake were noted for their quarries. (Plin. xxxvi. 22. a. 49.) h a c;istle on one of the islands queen Amalasontha was murdered by order of her husband Theodatus. (Procop. B. Goth. i. c. 4, p. 23, ed. Bonn.) [T. H. D.] VOLSINII or VULSINII {OvoKaivm, Strab. v. p. 226; OuoXaiviov, Ptol. iii. 1. § 50: Bolscuu), an ancient city of Etruria, situated on the shore of a hike of the same name (Lacus Volsiniensis), and on the 'ia Clodia, between Clusiuin and Forum Cassii. (Itin. Ant. p. 286; Tab. I'tut.) But in treating of Volsinii we must distinguish between the Etruscan and the Roman city. We know that the ancient town lay on a steep height (Zonaras,.-l?tH. viii. 7 ; cf. Aristot. ilir. Ausc. 96) ; while Bolsena, the represen- tative of the Roman Volsini, is situated in the plain. There is considerable difference of oi>iiiion as to where this height should be sought. Abekcn (.!//<- lelitaliea, p. 34, seq.) looks for it at Monte Fiascone,