Volsinii (redirected from Velzna)

Volsinii (vŏlsĭn`ēī), ancient city of Etruria, Italy, on the site of modern Orvieto. It was a powerful member of the Etruscan League, and the spirit of the league was broken when Romans conquered and thoroughly sacked Volsinii in 264 B.C. A new Volsinii was founded near Lacus Volsiniensis (Lake Bolsena).

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Volsinii 

(Etruscan form, Velzna), one of the 12 ancient city-states of Etruria and a major political, religious, and cultural center.

Volsinii apparently arose no later than the seventh century B.C. In the fourth century and the early third century B.C., the inhabitants participated in the struggle against the Romans. In 265 and 264 B.C., after the uprising of the Volsinian slaves, which was put down by the Romans, the entire population of Volsinii was resettled on the shore of nearby Lake Boise na (New Volsinii, now Bolsena). According to legend, the Romans removed 2,000 statues from Volsinii. Excavations on the site of ancient Volsinii on the heights above the lake have uncovered the remains of walls and temples.

REFERENCE

Bloch, R. “Volsinies étrusque et romaine.” Mélanges d’archéologíe et d’histoire de l’Ecole française de Rome, 1950, vol. 62.