Battle of Veii

Coordinates: 42°01′26″N 12°24′5″E / 42.02389°N 12.40139°E / 42.02389; 12.40139

The Battle of Veii, also known as the Siege of Veii, is a battle of ancient Rome, approximately dated at 396 BC. The main source about it is Livy's Ab Urbe Condita.

The Romans were led by a dictator (in the Roman Republic, this was an emergency general rather than a tyrant) named Marcus Furius Camillus. Their opponent, the Etruscan city of Veii, a large city close to Rome had engaged the Romans in a long and inconclusive war during which it had often been under siege. In order to break the siege once and for all, a tunnel was reputedly built beneath the city.

Livy describes the scene with the Veientines holed up in their city, the main Roman force encamped outside and a second force set to attack from within via the tunnel. After Camillius had taken the auspices, he had uttered the following prayer.

Pythian Apollo, guided and inspired by thy will I go forth to destroy the city of Veii, and a tenth part of its spoils I devote to thee. Thee too, Queen Juno, who now dwellest in Veii, I beseech, that thou wouldst follow us, after our victory, to the City which is ours and which will soon be thine, where a temple worthy of thy majesty will receive thee. He attacked from all sides.

Veii

Veii (also Veius, Italian: Veio) was, in ancient times, an important Etruscan city 16 km (9.9 mi) NNW of Rome, Italy; its site lies in Isola Farnese, a village of Municipio XX, an administrative subdivision of the comune of Rome in the Province of Rome. Many sites associated with Veii, which were in the city-state of Veii, are also located in Formello, another comune of the Province of Rome, immediately to the north. Formello is named after the drainage channels first created by the Veians.

Veii was the richest city of the Etruscan League, on the southern border of Etruria. It was alternately at war and in alliance with Rome for over 300 years. It eventually fell to the Roman general Camillus's army in 396 BC. Veii continued to be occupied after its capture by the Romans;

In the "Parco di Veio" adjacent to Isola Farnese, there are remnants of an apparent temple. Also tumuli and tombs have been found cut into the rock. Tombs were cut into tuff but tumuli were not. The most famous is the Grotta Campana, uncovered in 1843, a chamber tomb with the oldest known Etruscan frescoes. There are additionally long tunnels leading into the mound of the city, which may corroborate Livy's account of the Roman victory in the Battle of Veii.