Tarquinii. Roman colony A. U. C. 571. (Liv. XL. 29. Vell. Pat. I. 15.) But the low and marshy situation in which it was built seems to have rendered this town always unhealthy. intempestæque Graviscæ. EN. X. 184. Inde Graviscarum fastigia rara videmus, RUT. ITIN. I. 279. Other authors who mention it are Mel. II. 4. Plin. Somewhat higher up than Corneto, on the left bank of the Marta, some ruins, to which the name of Turchina is attached, point out the site of Tarquinii, represented as one of the most powerful cities of Etruria, and celebrated in history for its early connexion with Rome. The foundation of Tarquinii is ascribed by Strabo (V. 219.) to Tarchon, the famous Etruscan chief, who is so often introduced by the poets. Ipse oratores ad me regnique coronam Cum sceptro misit, mandatque insignia Tarchon, EN. VIII. 505. superbi Tarchontis domus. SIL. ITAL. VIII. 473. Some have supposed him to be the same with the celebrated Etruscan lawgiver Tages, as similar fabulous circumstances are ascribed to both d. This word appears evidently formed from the Greek Tayos, a title which the Thessalians, and probably the Pelasgi, gave Haud aliter stupuit, quam quum Tyrrhenus arator Sponte sua primum, nulloque agitante, moveri ; Indigenæ dixere Tagen; qui primus Etruscam (Cf. Cic. de Div. II.) OVID. MET. XV. 553. Justin states, that Tarquinii was founded by some Thessalians and Spinambri, (XX.) meaning doubtless the Pelasgi and Umbri, who came from Spina on the Adriatic; a notion which sufficiently agrees with what I endeavoured to establish respecting the Tyrrhenian colony in the first part of this section. There seems abundant authority for admitting Tarquinii e among the twelve states of Etruria. Strabo indeed states, that it was from this city that the Romans borrowed all their royal insignia and military pomp during the reign of Tarquin; but this fact is at variance with the admission of Dionysius of Halicarnassus, that these and many other Etruscan institutions and customs existed already in the time of Romulus. (III. 61.) The circumstances which placed the first Tarquin on the throne of Rome are too well known to be detailed here. The arrival of Demaratus, father of that prince, from - Corinth, in the time of Cypselus, A. U. C. 120, is to be considered as an important event in the history to their chiefs; and which was given in the first instance to Tarchon: the Etruscans might easily mistake it afterwards for a proper name. e The original name was probably Tarcuna. Freret has imagined, I know not on what authority, that it was at first called Trachina, which the Siculi afterwards changed to Terracina. Mem. de l'Acad. t. xviii. p. 103. of Etruria, as the subsequent improvements in the fine arts and in the literature of that country are generally ascribed to him. It proves also the intercourse which subsisted at that time between Etruria and the maritime states of Greece. (Cf. Dion. Hal. III. 46. Liv. I. 34.) There is one circumstance connected with the reign of Tarquinius Priscus at Rome, which appears deserving of remark, as it relates to the history of Etruria. It is stated by Dion. Hal. (III. 60.) that this prince, after a long war, compelled the twelve Etruscan states to acknowledge him as their head. I cannot but consider this fact as extremely dubious. If we reflect that Rome many years after was not able to resist the combined forces of Etruria under Porsenna, and that this war with Tarquin is not once mentioned by Livy, we shall be rather inclined to look upon Rome at that time as the dependent or ally of Etruria, rather than the mistress of that powerful state. (Cf. Strab. V. 220.) Tarquinii was foremost among the cities of Etruria to assist Tarquinius Superbus in reestablishing himself at Rome. (Liv. II. 6.) Its wars with that city, and final subjugation, are related in the seventh book of the same historian. At a later period it became a colony (Front. de Col.) and municipium. (Cic. pro Cæcina.) From Statius we collect that the territory of Tarquinii was woody f Heyne Mon. Etr. Artis Illustr. Com. Nov. Soc. Gott. 1774. t. v. Lanzi, vol. ii. p. 254. Winckelmann. Hist. du Dessin, t. i. p. 164. In Micali's work is a view of some curious tombs and subterraneous chambers discovered among the ruins of Tarquinii, Tav. 51. Rura meus Tyrrhena petit saltusque Tagetis SILV. V. 1. and from the circumstance of its having furnished sails for the Roman fleet, (Liv. XXVIII. 10.) that it was as productive of flax as it is now 5. It was in this district that Q. Fulvius Lippinus had formed his parks, which, according to Varro, were so well stocked with wild beasts. (R. Rust. III. 12.) Contene The sites of Cortuosa and Contenebra, two ob- Cortuosa. scure towns mentioned by Livy (VI. 4.) as belonging bra. to Tarquinii, are quite unknown. Axia, a castle Axia. also in the same territory, (Cic. Orat. pro Cæc. and Steph. Byz.) is said to be still called Castel Asso1. Returning to the coast, we cross the little river Minio, now Mignone, celebrated by Virgil, Qui Cærete domo, qui sunt Minionis in arvis, EN. X. 183. Minio fl. and Rutilius. (Itin. I. 277.) Paulisper fugimus litus Minione vadosum, cellæ. Centumcellæ, now Civita Vecchia, is better known Centumunder the name of Trajani Portus, that emperor having caused a magnificent harbour to be constructed there, which Pliny the Younger has described in one of his Epistles. (VI. 31.) Two immense piers formed the port, which was semicircular, while an island constructed artificially of immense masses of rock, brought there by vessels, and sunk in the sea, served as a breakwater in £ Holsten. Adnot. p. 29. h Mariani Antich. di Viterbo, p. 36. Aquæ Castrum Novum. front, and supported a pharos. The coast being very destitute of shelter for vessels of burden, this work of Trajan was of great national benefit. It is thus described by Rutilius. (F. 237.) Ad Centum cellas forti defleximus Austro, Centumcellæ having been destroyed by the Saracens, the inhabitants built another town some distance inland, but afterwards they reoccupied the site of the old city; which from that circumstance obtained its present name i. The Aqua Tauri of Pliny, (III. 5.) now Bagni di Ferrata, are about three miles from Civita Vecchia: they are described by Rutilius. (I. 246.) Nosse juvat Tauri dictas de nomine thermas ; Nec mora difficilis millibus ire tribus. Non illic gustu latices vitiantur amaro, Castrum Novum, which follows next on the coast, must not be confounded with the Castrum Inui of Holsten. Adnot. p. 32. |