Editing Falerii (section)

==== 4th century BC====

In 400 BC the Romans recaptured the lost camp, raided the territories of Falerii and Capena, but did not attack the two cities. In 399 BC Falerii and Capena sent troops to relieve Veii. The Romans made a sortie from their camp, put their forces to flight and pursued them killed many of their men. Soon after this a contingent was sent to raid the territory of Capena. It fell on the survivors of the battle and destroyed them.<ref>Livy The History of Rome, 5.12.4-5, 13.8-12</ref> In 398 BC The Romans raided the territories of Falerii and Capena, "carried off huge spoils and left nothing untouched that iron or fire could destroy".<ref>Livy The History of Rome, 5.14.7</ref> Livy mentioned Roman campaigns against Veii, of Falerii, and of Capena in 397 BC, but did not give any details. He wrote that the campaign at Veii was indecisive.<ref>Livy The History of Rome, 5.16.2, 8</ref> In that year the Etruscan League held a council "where the Capenates and Faliscans proposed that all the nations of Etruria should unite in a common resolution 'and design to raise the siege of Veii." However, the request was refused because Veii had not consulted the other Etruscan cities "for advice in so weighty a matter." Moreover, "[t]here was now in the greatest part of Etruria a strange race, new settlers, with whom they were neither securely at peace nor yet certain to have war." This must have been a reference to the Gauls who had invaded northern Italy, close to Etruria. The council allowed Etruscan men to volunteer to serve in the war and many men did so.<ref>Livy The History of Rome, 5.17.6-10</ref> In 396 BC two Roman commanders marched against Falerii and Capena. However, they were poor commanders and fell into an ambush. One of them fell and the other withdrew.  There was a rumour that Faliscans and Capenates were advancing and getting close to Veii "with the whole military strength of Etruria." This caused panic in Rome. This led to a Roman push at Veii, which was captured and destroyed.<ref>Livy The History of Rome, 5.18.7-12, 19</ref> In 395 BC the Romans conducted operations against Falerii and Capena. They did not attack the cities. They ravaged the countryside and "despoiled the farmers of their possessions, leaving not one fruit-tree in the land nor any productive plant." Capena sued for peace, but the war with Falerii continued.<ref>Livy The History of Rome, 5.24.1-2</ref>

In 394 BC the war with Falerii was entrusted to [[Marcus Furius Camillus]]. He forced the Faliscans to come out of their town by ravaging the fields and burning the farmhouses. They encamped only one mile from the town, on a spot which they thought was safe because it was difficult to access. Guided by Faliscan prisoners, Camillus placed himself in a superior position near the camp. Enemy forces which tried to hinder the work were routed and the Faliscans fled back to their city. Camillus proceeded to besiege it. The town had plenty of food supplies and the siege seemed a prolonged affair. The inhabitants carried on with their usual lives and their boys went to school. The Faliscans had adopted the Greek practice of entrusting their boys to one tutor. This tutor decided to betray the town. He led the boys out of the town daily to exercise them. At first he kept them close to the city walls. Then he ventured further out. Eventually he reached the Roman outposts and handed the boys to the enemy. He communicated to Camillus his intention to betray Falerii. Camillus ordered that the man be stripped, scourged, and driven back into the city by the boys. When the Faliscans saw the tutor coming back in this fashion, they admired the righteousness of Camillus and sent envoys to him, "entrusting him with their lives and fortunes". Camillus sent them to Rome and they told the senate that "the Romans, by esteeming righteousness above victory, had taught them to love defeat above freedom and considered themselves "vanquished in virtue".<ref>Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The Life of Camillus 9-10</ref> According to Livy they also promised fidelity to Roman rule. The senate entrusted the matter to Camillus who demanded the town to pay the wages of the Roman soldiers for that year. In Livy's account, he granted peace; in [[Plutarch]]'s account, he "established friendship with all the Faliscans". He then went back to Rome.<ref>Livy, The History of Rome, 5.27</ref>

In 359 BC, war broke out between Rome and the Etruscan city-state of [[Tarquinia|Tarquinii]] because the latter plundered Roman territory adjoining Etruria. In 357 BC, Faliscan men joined the Tarquinenses and refused to hand back Roman prisoners they had taken to Falerii. Livy wrote that the consul Gnaeus Manlius accomplished very little and mentioned that he was encamped at Sutrium, in Faliscan territory. In 356 BC, the Romans engaged the Faliscans and Tarquinenses. The priests of the latter rushed towards the Romans carrying snakes and torches. This dismayed the Roman soldiers, who fled to their rampart. They were mocked by their officers and they rushed against the enemy, routed them and seized their camp. All Etruscans then rose in arms led by Tarquinii and Falerii and advanced as far as the Roman salt works at the mouth of the River Tiber. The Romans crossed the river on rafts. They caught straggling pillagers in the fields and sized the enemy camp by surprise. The enemy was driven out of Roman territory.<ref>Livy, The History of Rome, 7.12.5, 16.2, 7, 17.2-10</ref> In 365 BC, another Etruscan city, [[Caere]], joined Tarquinii. It was defeated and granted a 100-year truce. The Faliscans were accused of participating in the war and the brunt of the war was turned against them. The Romans could not find their forces and pillaged their land.<ref>Livy, The History of Rome 19.6, 20.9</ref> In 351 BC the Romans conducted a campaign against Tarquinii and Falerii, ravaging their fields until their resistance was broken. The two city-states requested a truce and a forty-year truce was granted.<ref>Livy, The History of Rome, 5.22.4-5</ref> In 342 BC, the Roman victory over the [[Samnites]] in the [[First Samnite War]] (344-342 BC) induced Falerii to ask Rome to  convert their forty years' truce into a permanent treaty of peace.<ref>Livy, The History of Rome, 5.38.1</ref>