Falerii

Falerii refers to ancient settlements in northern Lazio associated with the Falisci people and later Roman occupation; the best-known remains are at the Roman town of Falerii Novi and the older Etruscan site often called Falerii Veteres. The Roman town dates from the mid 3rd century BC and was laid out with a planned orthogonal street grid.

Highlights at the site include surviving stretches of defensive walls, the forum area and building foundations that show typical Roman town planning and public architecture. The older Etruscan acropolis and settlement nearby preserve traces of pre-Roman occupation and defensive works.

Historically the Falisci were incorporated into the Roman state after conflicts in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC; Rome refounded the settlement as a Roman town in 241 BC and it remained occupied through the imperial period, later falling into ruin in the medieval era. Archaeological work has documented occupation layers from the Etruscan through Roman periods.

The ruins lie in northern Lazio, near the modern town of Civita Castellana and about an hour’s drive north of Rome, set on limestone terrain with the Tiber valley and agricultural land surrounding the sites.

• Foundation date: The Roman town was founded by Rome in 241 BC after the local population had been relocated; the site retains a clear street grid and substantial masonry ruins.

What to See #

• Falerii Novi: The Roman town established after the suppression of an earlier settlement, laid out on an orthogonal street plan with remains of a forum, baths and city walls visible in the archaeological site.
• Falerii Veteres (Etruscan site): The older Etruscan settlement that preceded Roman control, located on a nearby hill with traces of earlier defensive structures and occupation layers.