Veientes

Veii

Veio
Ruins of the temple of Veii
Shown within Italy
Alternate name	Veius
Location	Isola Farnese, Province of Rome, Lazio, Italy
Region	Latium
Coordinates	42°01′24″N 12°23′23″E / 42.02333°N 12.38972°E / 42.02333; 12.38972Coordinates: 42°01′24″N 12°23′23″E / 42.02333°N 12.38972°E / 42.02333; 12.38972
Type	Settlement
Area	190 ha (470 acres)
History
Events	Battle of Veii
Site notes
Condition	Ruined
Ownership	Public
Management	Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell'Etruria Meridionale
Public access	Yes
Website	Area archeologica di Veio (in Italian)

Veii (also Veius, Italian: Veio) was an important ancient Etruscan city situated on the southern limits of Etruria and only 16 km (9.9 mi) north-northwest of Rome, Italy. It now lies in Isola Farnese, in the comune of Rome. Many other sites associated with and in the city-state of Veii are in Formello, immediately to the north. Formello is named after the drainage channels that were first created by the Veians.

Veii was the richest city of the Etruscan League. It was alternately at war and in alliance with the Roman Kingdom and later Republic for over 300 years. It eventually fell in the Battle of Veii to Roman general Camillus's army in 396 BC. Veii continued to be occupied after its capture by the Romans.

The site is now a protected area, part of the Parco di Veio established by the regional authority of Lazio in 1997.

The city of Veii lies mainly on a tuff plateau of area 190 hectares (470 acres).

The Valchetta flows a few miles eastward to join the Tiber River on the south side of Labaro along the Via Flaminia and Veii's territory included this area.

Its proximity to the Tiber and the trade route to the interior, which became the Via Flaminia, augmented its prosperity but also placed it in competition with Rome for the domination of Latium.

The temple of Juno was the greatest and most honoured in the city.

The largest visible monument is the sanctuary of Minerva from the 7th c. BC, situated along an important route just outside the city (at modern Portonaccio). The sanctuary was one of the oldest and most revered in Etruria, standing out for its sumptuous polychrome terracotta decorations, many of which can be seen today in the Villa Giulia. The sanctuary included the temple of Apollo of about 510 BC to which belonged the Apollo of Veii (now in the National Etruscan Museum).