Thomas Ashby

“ Wars between Volsinii and Rome are mentioned in 392, 308 and 294 B.C., and in 265-264 B.C. the Romans assisted the inhabitants against their former slaves, who had successfully asserted themselves against their masters and took the town. Fulvius Flaccus gained a triumph for his victory, and it was probably then that the statue of Vertumnus which stood in the Vicus Tuscus at Rome was brought from Volsinii. Zonaras states that the city was destroyed and removed elsewhere, though the old site continued apparently to be inhabited, to judge from the inscriptions found there. ”

“ No remains of antiquity are to be seen within the city; but at the foot of the hill on the N. a large Etruscan necropolis was found in 1874, dating from the 5th century B.C. The tombs, constructed of blocks of stone and arranged in rows divided by passages (like houses in a town) , often had the name of the deceased on the façade. Many painted vases, &c., were found; some of the best are in the Museo Civico at Orvieta. Tombs with paintings have also been found to the W. of the town on the way to Bolsena.
Volsinii was reputed the richest of the twelve cities of Etruria. ”

“ These remains consist of Etruscan tombs, the sacred enclosure of the goddess Nortia, with votive objects and coins ranging from the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. to the middle of the 3rd century A.D., remains of Roman houses, &c., and an amphitheatre of the imperial period (E. Gabrici in Monumenti dei Lincei, xvi., 1906, 169 sqq., and in Notizei degli Scavi, 1906, 59 sqq.) . ”