Rusellae
Encyclopedia
Rusellae was an ancient town
of Etruria
(now Tuscany), which survived until the Middle Ages
before being abandoned. The ruins lie in the modern frazione
of Roselle in the comune
of Grosseto
.
and 8 km northeast of Grosseto
. They are situated on a hill with two summits, the higher of which is 194 m (636 ft) above sea level
. One summit is occupied by a Roman
amphitheatre
, the other by a tower of uncertain date. The local travertine
was extensively used as a building material, as it naturally splits into roughly rectangular blocks.
captured it in 294 BC. In 205 BC, it contributed grain
and timber
for the fleet of Scipio Africanus
. A colony was founded here either by the Triumviri or by Augustus
.
The place was deserted in 1138, although still occasionally used. The episcopal see
was transferred to Grosseto, which is now the provincial capital.
themselves are now thickly overgrown, although the walls are in places well preserved. They are embanking walls, nearly 2 miles in circumference, with a low breastwork
in places. The walls consist of somewhat irregular, unworked blocks of travertine often measuring as much as 2.75x1.2 m (9x4 ft). Smaller pieces are inserted in the gaps between blocks. A Roman cistern
is visible. Roman remains have also been found 3 km to the south, at hot springs used for public bathing
to this day.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Etruria
Etruria
Etruria—usually referred to in Greek and Latin source texts as Tyrrhenia—was a region of Central Italy, an area that covered part of what now are Tuscany, Latium, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria. A particularly noteworthy work dealing with Etruscan locations is D. H...
(now Tuscany), which survived until the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
before being abandoned. The ruins lie in the modern frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Roselle in the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Grosseto
Grosseto
Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
.
Geography
The ruins are about 15 km southeast of VetuloniaVetulonia
Vetulonia, formerly called Vetulonium , was an ancient town of Etruria, Italy, the site of which is probably occupied by the modern village of Vetulonia, which up to 1887 bore the name of Colonnata and Colonna di Buriano: the site is currently a frazione of the comune of Castiglione della Pescaia,...
and 8 km northeast of Grosseto
Grosseto
Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
. They are situated on a hill with two summits, the higher of which is 194 m (636 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. One summit is occupied by a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
, the other by a tower of uncertain date. The local travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
was extensively used as a building material, as it naturally splits into roughly rectangular blocks.
History
Rusellae was associated with, but not actually one of, the twelve cities of the Etruscan Confederation. The RomansRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
captured it in 294 BC. In 205 BC, it contributed grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
for the fleet of Scipio Africanus
Scipio Africanus
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus , also known as Scipio Africanus and Scipio the Elder, was a general in the Second Punic War and statesman of the Roman Republic...
. A colony was founded here either by the Triumviri or by Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
.
The place was deserted in 1138, although still occasionally used. The episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
was transferred to Grosseto, which is now the provincial capital.
Archaeology
The area is now under cultivation, and the ruinsRuins
Ruins are the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete, as time went by, have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction...
themselves are now thickly overgrown, although the walls are in places well preserved. They are embanking walls, nearly 2 miles in circumference, with a low breastwork
Breastwork (fortification)
A breastwork is a fortification. The term is usually applied to temporary fortifications, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position...
in places. The walls consist of somewhat irregular, unworked blocks of travertine often measuring as much as 2.75x1.2 m (9x4 ft). Smaller pieces are inserted in the gaps between blocks. A Roman cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
is visible. Roman remains have also been found 3 km to the south, at hot springs used for public bathing
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
to this day.
External links
- Rusellae at LacusCurtiusLacusCurtiusLacusCurtius is a website specializing in ancient Rome, currently hosted on a server at the University of Chicago. It went online on August 26, 1997; in January 2008 it had "2786 pages, 690 photos, 675 drawings & engravings, 118 plans, 66 maps." The site is the...
- Images of Roselle