Faliscan

The Falisci were an ancient Italian tribe who lived in what are now southern Tuscany and northern Latium. They spoke an Italic language, Faliscan, closely akin to Latin.

Their most important centre was Falerii (near the modern Civita Castellana), and their territory included a tract of the surrounding country, probably reaching as far south as to include the small town of Capena.

In spite of the Etruscan domination, the Faliscans preserved many traces of their Italic origin, such as the worship of the deities Juno Quiritis (Ovid, Fasti, VI. 49) and Feronia (Livy xxvi. 11), the cult of the god Soranus by the Hirpi or fire-leaping priests on Mount Soracte (Pliny, Nat. Hist. vii. 2, 19; Servius, ad Aen. xi. 785, 787), above all their language.

The Falisci, often allied with the Etruscans, resisted Rome for long time. They were allied with Veii when it was defeated in 396 BC. In the aftermath Falerii was occupied by the victorious Romans. When in 358 Tarquinia rebelled, the Falisci again took arms against Rome, but were again crushed c. 351 BC. This time an alliance was signed between the contenders, and a Roman garrison was settled in Falerii.

The Falisci took advantage of the First Punic War to declare their independence, but their revolt ended in 241 BC with the death of 15,000 Falisci and the destruction of Falerii; the survivors were moved to a less defendable city, Falerii Novi.

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.