The Eternal Flame Dies Out: Rome Loses The Siege of Veii

[FONT=Algerian, fantasy]The Eternal flame dies out[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Part I: The Rasna[/FONT]
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The origins of the Rasna have usually raised more questions than answers. According to Rasna mythology, their city states (beginning first with Tarchnal[1])were founded by the legendary Tarchon in the late 3[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]rd[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century before the first Olympiad[2] (1,000 BCE). The Hellenic historian Herodotos claims they arrived from Lydia shortly after the Trojan War. In this version, when the Lydian Basileos[3] Atys faced a famine, he sent off half his people under his son Tyrrhenus to emigrate to a new land. Both of these foundation myths are contradicted by archaeology however, and the most likely origin for the Rasna is that they developed from the indigenous Villanovan culture in the 1[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]st[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century AE. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The Rasna were well positioned in a region rich both in its metals and in fertile land. The amalgamation of their cities was in large part due to the high demand of their metals with Hellenic and Phoenician merchants based at trading centers such as Cumae, Pithecusae, Alalia, and Phoenician outposts on Sardinia. This also facilitated a cultural exchange where the Rasna adapted many eastern elements into their lives and art, creating a unique easternized culture in Italy that nevertheless preserved some native elements. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The first Rasna city to attain dominance in Tyrrhenia was Tarchnal in the 1[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]st[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century AE (776-676BCE) through their control of the metal rich Tolfa Mt. and access to good ports. By the 2[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]nd[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century AE however, the metal resources of Mount Tolfa seems to have passed into the hands of Cisra[5] which rapidly became the biggest trading center in Tyrrhenia, and one of the most prosperous in the Mediterranean. Cisra possessed access to even better natural harbors than Tarchnal, and became heavily involved in naval affairs. In 241 (535BCE), after feeling their trade threatened by Phokaean Hellenes colonists on Alalia in Corsica and at Massalia, the Cisratans allied with the Carthaginians and encountered the Phokaeans in a naval battle off the coast of Corsica. The result, a tactical loss for the Carthaginian-Cisratan alliance, nevertheless shifted the balance of power in favor of Cisra and Carthage and was a turning point. [/FONT]

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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] During that century and afterward however, the greatest and wealthiest center of Tyrrhenia lay at Veii in the south. Situated alongside the Valchetta River[6], (a tributary of the Tiber), Veii had no access to metals, but rather relied on agriculture and its convenient location for trade (being the southernmost Etruscan town and thus closer to the southern Hellenic trading centers on the peninsula), along with the productive salt beds at the mouth of the Tiber, to obtain its wealth. The city was in an excellent defensive position being perched on a large plateau that was farmed extensively, consisting of two ridges and an acropolis. It was surrounded on three of four sides by large cliffs reaching out to the Valchetta, making it nearly impregnable. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The same location that provided the benefits that lead to Veii’s immense wealth and power also put them in direct conflict with the fearsome Latin state of Rome, nearly 12 miles away on the other bank of the Tiber. Veii also possessed an outpost even closer to Rome, only 5 miles away the Latin city, as well as the important city of Fidenae, which helped keep their land route through Latium into Campania open. Although relations with Veii were cordial for most of Rome’s early history, this changed after the overthrow of the monarchy at around 276 AE (500BCE). With strongly conflicting interests and Rome feeling provoked by Veii’s occupation of land across the Tiber such as Fidenae, a clash between the two was inevitable. [/FONT]




[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][1] Known to us as Tarquinii, modern day Tarquinia. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][2] I will be using the Olympiad dating system (sometimes referring to it as AE ‘Aion Ellas’ or in Latin “Anno Graecorum”-Year of the Greeks). This makes the first Olympiad in 776 BCE, as year 1. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][4] I cannot figure out what the Rasna would have called Etruria, so I am for the moment at least going to use the Greek name for Etruria. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][5]Caere-the modern city of Cerveteri[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][6] Modern day Cremera[/FONT]
 
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]The Eternal Flame Dies Out
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Part II: The Latins[/FONT]
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The ancient tradition states that the Trojan hero Aeneas fled Troy during its sacking and headed west with a small group of followers called the Aeneads. After a brief sojourn with Dido in Quart-Hadasht, they were welcomed into Latium by the Latin king Latinus. After Latinus was killed in a war with Turnus, King of the Rutuli, Aeneas went on to found Lavinium, dying there years later.
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Over 400 years later, the story picks up again, with King Numitor of the semi-mythical city of Alba Longa. At around the time of the first Olympiad, the daughter of Numitor gave birth to twin boys shortly after Numitor had been deposed by his brother Amulius. In an attempt to get rid of all rival claimants to the throne, Amulius had the twins tossed into the Tiber, yet they soon washed ashore and were taken care of by a she-wolf, before shepherds rescued them.
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The twins, Romulus and Remus, grew up to lead brigands and raiders until they discovered their true lineage, attacking Alba Longa and overthrowing Amulius, placing Numitor back on the throne. Their goal accomplished, they led colonists from Alba Longa to establish a city on the Palatine Hill. A quarrel between the two brothers led to Romulus assassinating Remus, and subsequently founding the city of Rome after himself.
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] As is usually the case, the actual development of the Latins, and more specifically the city Veii would be locked in a struggle to the death with, does not corroborate with legend. Until its occupation by Rome in the aftermath of the Fourth Roman-Veiientine War, Alba Longa was nothing more than a collection of villages on the Alban Hills. Permanent settlement on the Palatine and Aventine hills had[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] existed well before Romulus' supposed founding of the city in the 4[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] year of the 5[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Olympiad (753BCE) . It likely did not fully amalgamate into a single city however, until late 1[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]st[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century -early 2[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]nd[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century AE (700-650BCE), showing a gradual process similar to that of Tyrrhenia.
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The story of Aeneas however does seem to possess some truth. It is believed that the Latins arrived in Latium around 400 years before the first Olympiad (around 1200BCE), which would corroborate with the supposed date of the Trojan War and Aeneas' exile to the region. Despite internecine warfare between Latin tribes and cities, they maintained close cultural-religious ties with each other. Emphasizing this cultural-religious unity, the Latins held a [/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Feriae Latinae[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] (Latin Festival) each winter at the extinct Mount Albanus volcano that would last for four days. The climax of this festival was the sacrifice to Jupiter Latiaris, where all the Latin communities shared the sacrificed meat. In addition to Mount Albanus, another important Latin religious center existed at Lavinium. It is no surprise then, that the two most important Latin religious centers would feature so prominently in the Latin mythos.
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Various Latin cities frequently fell under the dominance of Rasna kings in their quest for maintaining a vital land link to Campania. These included Rome, where while under Rasna monarchs, began to dominate Latium starting in the late 2[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]nd[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century AE (600BCE). After the overthrow of King Tarquinius Superbus , Rome fell briefly under the rule of Lars Porsenna of Clevsinbefore permanently resorting to a republic in the year of the 69[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Olympiad (500 BCE[1]). [/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]The politcal turmoil in Rome had given the other Latin states the chance they were waiting for to resist the Romans re-asserting their dominance. It was not until the 4[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] year of the 70[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Olympiad (493BCE) that the Romans were able to re-assert their power and assume control over the originally anti-Roman Latin League. This was followed shortly by incursions by the Aequi, Volscians, and Sabines that started shortly before the end of the Roman-Latin War and continued well into the 4[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century (495-400), leading to near constant warfare with the Latins for the entire period.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] It was also during this time that the first conflict between Veii and Rome broke out. The First Roman-Veientine War erupted in 293 AE (484 BCE), and ended in 302. It was notable for the Veientines briefly fortifying the Janiculum Hill across from Rome, and a private army lead by the Roman Fabian Clan getting wiped out in 298, resulting in the deaths of all of the Fabii save for a single youth. Veii had clearly gotten the upper hand as reflected in the peace treaty which left them in complete control of the strategic town of Fidenae on the Roman bank of the Tiber.
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Unsurprisingly, when the second war between Rome and Veii broke out in 339 (437) when the Veientine King Lars Tolumnius murdered four Roman ambassadors , it was principally over the control of Fidenae. The climax of the war occurred when the Roman Cornelius Cossus avenged the ambassadors by killing Tolumnius in single combat. Fidenae was soon besieged in 341, and was captured by means of Roman soldiers entering the citadel through a tunnel. The treaty that followed favored the Romans, and created a truce that would last 19 years, until the third war between the two cities would break out in 370 (406). [/FONT]


[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][1] I find this date to be more plausible than 509, which is conveniently 1 year before democracy was established in Athens. [/FONT]
 
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Hello there! For those of you who remember, I posted a thread awhile back on if anyone would be interested in a Rome losing the siege of Veii timeline. Well after long hours of research and thinking, I have finally got around to making the timeline. Since Errnge's timeline is on haitus, we need one active Rome screw TL on this board. :cool:

We have not come to the POD yet as I feel this background knowledge is essential to understanding what comes next. This TL would not be possible without the research and support of both Grouchio and Monopolist, who both gave me great ideas and wonderful help with getting the research and figuring out how to progress this TL in the early years (and in some cases, further down the road.) A shoutout also goes to Errnge, who's format I am using on this TL, and who's TL set the standard for early Rome screw TL's.

I hope to update this TL frequently, though I can make no promises as I still have a lot of research to do, and I will be balancing this TL with "Is Rome Worth One Man's Life". Hopefully I can get back to updating that regularly too! Enjoy!
 
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! :D :D :D

WE'RE IN BUSINESS!!!

I am the collaborator of Slyfox for all of those curious, BTW.
 
Great start; I'm excited for this, there has been a definite lack of Rome-screw in recent months. Subscribed of course.
 
Slyfox, I have back-story for the current King of Veii. How is this?


Since the death of his father at the hands of Aulus Cornelius Cossus in 339 AE, Lars Tolumnius II of Gens Tolumini has desired nothing but revenge for the disembodiment and humiliation of his father; who personally witnessed the parading of his father's head to his terrified men, as well as the defeat of his city-state to humiliating terms by Rome in 341. This has made Lars a very bitter and stoic king, abhorring both wine and bedding mistresses whilst efficiently repairing his city's power following it's defeat in war. Now 30 years after his father's death, Lars finds himself once again at war with Rome, headed by the arrogant general and dictator Marcus Camillus. He has powerful walls and natural barriers to defend his strategic city, and able-minded sons (who have learnt well from their father) to continue his gens. He has a great siege that he somehow must break or else all of Tyrrhenia may soon fall to these barbarous Romans...
 
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]The Eternal Flame Dies Out[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Part III: The Third Veientine-Roman War[/FONT]
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[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Following the Second Veientine Roman War, peace reigned between the two cities. For the time being, both Veii and Rome had other important things on their mind that kept them from fighting each other. Following their second war with Rome, Veii abandoned monarchy for a republic, and in so doing had followed the lead of most of her fellow Rasna and Latin cities over the previous 100 years. The Roman lead Latin League continued to conduct intermittent warfare with the Aequi and the Volsci, though on a far less frequent basis than in the first half of the 4[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]th[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] century (476-440 BCE). Yet both warfare between the two rivals could not be prolonged forever, and when the peace treaty expired in 369 AE (407BCE), war seemed not far off. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] At the time of the treaty's expiration, the Romans were embroiled in yet another war with the Aequi and Volscians. In spite of this, Rome sent ambassadors to Veii to demand answers for supposed misconduct of the city towards Rome and were turned away by Veii, who told them to return the following year, which they promptly did. Upon their return, the Roman ambassadors deliberately inflamed the Veientine assembly until they received what they thought would be a satisfactory enough response to return to Rome and justify declaring war. [1] To their surprise however, the plebeian tribunes shot down any proposal for war, citing that Rome was already enamored in too many wars. The following year, however, the city of Auxur was re-captured from the Volscians, tipping the conflict decisively in Rome's favor. Satisfied with these turn of events, the Roman assemblies voted to declare war on Veii in 371. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Veii responded to what they had seen as an inevitability after their incident with the Roman ambassadors the year before, the assembly elected a dictator[2]. The man they elected, Velthur Hathisna[3] , is an otherwise unknown figure up until he made his first appearance at this point. Instead of sending an army out to fight Rome in the field, Hathisna adopted a strategy of waiting behind Veii's near impregnable natural and man made fortifications and daring the Romans to try and siege it. He also acquired the aid of the nearby Latin speaking Capenates and Faliscans residing in the hinterlands near Veii to harass the Romans, and combined with their continuing conflict with the Aequi and Volsci, made dedicating the men and resources to a lengthy siege difficult to maintain.[/FONT]


[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] This did not stop Rome from sending out an army to conduct a rigorous siege of Veii in 370 and again in 371, despite their other ongoing conflicts. Focus remained on the Vulscians however, and while the Veientines remained safe in their fortress, the Romans scored major victories against the Volsci in 371 , capturing the Volscian city of Artena. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The following year witnessed some minor success for the Veientines. The Romans made the decision to maintain the siege through the winter, causing political controversy at home. A large rampart had been under construction for some time, and was close to being completed and reaching the walls of Veii. Hathisna recognized this could leave Veii dangerously open to a Roman assault, and so he sprung into action before the rampart could be finished. Taking full advantage of the lack of proper precautions being taken by the Romans, he led a sortie one night that succeeded in burning down and destroying many of the siege engines including the ramp. The siege limped on, but Roman resolve to continue it was shrinking. [/FONT]

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Siege ramp

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Further setbacks followed for the Romans in 373. Auxur fell back into the hands of Volscians when Volscian traders and insurgents infiltrated the city, massacring the small Roman garrison inside. Back at Veii, the two leading military tribunes (of 6 conducting the siege), M. Sergius Fidenas and L. Verginius Triscostus Esquilinus, were bitter enemies, and found themselves unable to cooperate. This proved to be their undoing, for the Faliscans and Capetans had finally came to the aid of Veii. While their forces attacked the trenches commanded by Fidenas, the Veientines sallied forth from the city and attacked from the opposite side. Esquilinus, who was in control of the main Roman camp, refused to help unless specifically asked to do so by Fidenas, who had too much pride to bring himself to do it. The result was Fidenas' force being shattered and forced to limp back to Rome, leading to the immediate dismissal of both himself and Esquilinus. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] By now the Romans were beginning to seriously question their ability to successfully siege Veii. Things looked up for the Romans in 374, when M. Furius Camillus successfully led raids against the Faliscans and Capetans, relieving the forces besieging Veii from their attacks. That same year, Roman forces laid siege to Auxur once again, but were unable to take it by storm the following year.[/FONT]


[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Rome's fortunes changed once again in 376, when Camillus was killed in another raid on the Faliscans[4]. The Capenates and Faliscans attempted to follow up this success with an attack on the Roman forces at Veii, but were beaten back by a now fully cooperating Roman army. Despite farms falling into disrepair from farmers being away on campaign year round an an increasing belief that the siege of Veii would never be successful, the Romans persisted in keeping up the siege into 378. [/FONT]

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Roman force ambushed

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Yer Rome continued to suffer more defeats at the hands of their enemies. While raiding into Faliscan and Capenate territory continued, the Aequi managed to successfully siege and capture Labici before a Roman relief force could arrive. Tarchnal, normally being on good terms with Veii and seeing an opportunity to acquire some loot, raided Roman territory before being caught and defeated A. Postumius and L. Julius. This prompted Roman friendly Cisra to raid Tarchnal in response, dragging them unofficially into the conflict. Another raid into Faliscan territory for Rome ended in disaster in 479, when their army was ambushed and nearly annihilated. [/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Word soon trickled back to the Roman camp at Veii that the Faliscan-Capenate army was nearby and about to descend on them. The soldiers began to panic, and clamored to return to Rome, tired of a siege that had dragged on for 9 years without end. The military tribunes tried their best to calm them and convince them to continue the siege, but to no avail. The Veientine garrison took advantage of the disorder by leading a sally that inflicted heavy losses on the Romans and was only barely repulsed with much difficulty. Seeing the weakened and near mutinous state of the army, the military tribunes agreed that retreating back to Rome was the only option available, and lifted the siege. After a failed attempt by the Veientines to follow up their success with an assault on Fidenae, a truce was signed in 380, recognizing the status quo that existed prior to the war's outbreak and freeing the Romans to focus exclusively on the Aequi and Volsci. [/FONT]








[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][1] Rome not having a chance to tell its own version of events (which are: the ambassadors were threatened to be killed upon their arrival, and a story I find highly suspect), the version is different than Livy's. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][2] Livy says they elected a king, but I am more inclined to believe they elected something more resembling a Roman dictator. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][3] A Hathisna family is attested to having resided in Veii. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][4] The POD[/FONT]
 
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Slyfox, I have back-story for the current King of Veii. How is this?


Since the death of his father at the hands of Aulus Cornelius Cossus in 339 AE, Lars Tolumnius II of Gens Tolumini has desired nothing but revenge for the disembodiment and humiliation of his father; who personally witnessed the parading of his father's head to his terrified men, as well as the defeat of his city-state to humiliating terms by Rome in 341. This has made Lars a very bitter and stoic king, abhorring both wine and bedding mistresses whilst efficiently repairing his city's power following it's defeat in war. Now 30 years after his father's death, Lars finds himself once again at war with Rome, headed by the arrogant general and dictator Marcus Camillus. He has powerful walls and natural barriers to defend his strategic city, and able-minded sons (who have learnt well from their father) to continue his gens. He has a great siege that he somehow must break or else all of Tyrrhenia may soon fall to these barbarous Romans...
Sorry for not catching this sooner...I discovered that Veii actually reverted to a republic between the second and third veientine wars according to Livy, only electing a king after war was declared. So I figured any relative of Tolumnius was not going to be the man elected king, and instead found a family name of an Etruscan family that actually was in Veii, using a first name that was apparently used with said family name historically. Sorry I couldn't use this.
 
Yes. Hell fucking yes. The Romans will expand no more! Velthur Hathisna is victorious! The Senones are coming! :D
 
If Rome suck its finger in the death clock, I don't think the outlook would be so good. :D

Also this is inadvertent but I smiled a bit at the picture of the siege of Masada being used. Rome obviously won't see such a great triumph over a foreign enemy ITTL. Although it does make me wonder how the Jews will be effected down the road....

Good update.
 
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