96 Theresa Huntsman DE GRUYTER DE GRUYTER Etruscan Studies 2015; 18(2)z 97 -725 Kaimio, l, 1975. "The Ousting of Etruscan by Latin in Etruria." ln Studies in the Romanization of Chiara Pito* and Marco Giuman Etruria,edited by P. Bruun, P. Hohti, l. Kaimio, E. Michelsen, M. Nielsen, and E. Ruoff-Vàà- nànen, 85-245. Rome: Bardi Editore. Greek Myth on Etruscan Urns from Perusia: Kuniholm, P.l.200S,AGuidetotheClassicol Collectionsof CornellUniversity,lthaca, NY: Herbert F. lohnson Museum ofArt. the sacrifice of lphigenia Levi, D. 1935. ll Museo Civico di Chiusi. Rome: Libreria dello Stato. Luce, S.B. 7927, The University Museum: Catologue of the Mediterronean Secfion. Philadelphia: DOI 10.1515/etst-2015-0016 The UniversÌty Museum, Maggiani, A., ed.7985, Artigianato ortistico: L'Etruria settentrionole interna in età ellenistica. Regione Toscana: Electa, Abstract: The production of cremation urns of Perusia is one of the most irnpor- Mazzetti, R. 1861. "Scavi Chiusini." Bullettino dell'lnstituto di Corrispondenza ArcheologicaT0: tant of North Etruria, and many of them were decorated with scenes of myth. The 209-270. meaning of a myth is strictly related to its social and cultural context. Indeed, the Pack, E. 1988. "Clusium: ritratto di una città romana attraverso I'epigrafia." ln I romani di Chiusi: reception of an iconographical theme depends on the specific cultural setting and Rivisitazione aXraverso testimonianze epigraftche, topogroftche, orcheologiche, edited by ways. This G. Paolucci, 11-104. Rome: Multigrafica Editrice. each society perceives and re-elaborates the same image in different Pauli, C,E., and O. A. Danietsson. 7893-, Corpus lnscriptionum Etruscorum, Leipzig: l. A. Barth. paper examines the use of the myth of the sacrifice of lphigenia for the local Rix, H. 1963. Das etruskische Cognomen; Untersuchungen zu System, Morphologie und Ver- Etruscan context of the second and first century B.C.E. The representation of that wendung der Personennomen ouf den jùngeren lnschriften Nordetruriens. Wiesbaden: myth enjoyed in Perusia a success that is much greater than in Greek context, 0. Harrassowitz, revealing the creative approach of the Perusian sculptors and the culture of their Rix, H. 1991, Etruskìsche Texte: editio minor. TUbingen: G. Nar. patrons. Sannibale, M,7994. Le urne cinerorie di età ellenistico. Rome: di Bretschneider. Sclafani, M. 2010. Urne chiusine e perugine di età medio e tordo Rome: fiXili ellenistico. Giorgio Keywords: sacrificeoflphigenia, Etruscanums, Perusia, Greekmyths, iconography Bretschneider Editore. Smalt, J. P. 7987. Studies Related to the Thebon Cycle on Late Etruscan Urns. Rome: G. Bret- cinerary ums schneider, The use and re-elaboration of Classical mythological themes on the provide Thimme, J. 1954. "Chiusinische Aschenkisten und Sarkophage der hellenistischen Zeit. Ein found in the cemeteries of the Etruscan city of Perusia an important tool Beitrag zur Ch ron ologie d er etruski sch en Kunst 1," StEfr 2 3,2t 25-747. for investigating the local community in the period following its political sub- Thimme, J. 1957. "Chiusinische Aschenkisten und Sarkophage der he[[enistischen Zeit. Ein mission to Rome. We decided to focus our research in particular on the images of Beitrag zur Chronologie der etruskischen Kunst2," StEtr 25: 87-160. the sacrifice of Iphigenia.l Derived from Greek literature, but also well known in Turfa, J.M. 2005, Catologue ofthe Etruscan Gallery ofthe University of Pennsylvania Museum of Latin literature, this subject is quite rare in Greek iconography. The popularity of Archaeology and Anthropology. Philadetphia: Universi§ of Pennsylvania Museum ofAr- chaeology and Anthropology, this theme in the funerary contexts of Perusia, which has no comparison in the rest of the Italian peninsula, provides an interesting opportunity to study the mechanisms of selection and reworking of myths and images as a mirror of the vivacity ofthe local society. The ancient city of Perusia, now Perugia (fìg. 1), lies on a hill in a strategic i position overlooking the Tiber, a natural means of communication between the 1 Bonfante 1984; Brunn 1965,40-52,106-12; Dareggi1972,34-5; Heurgon 1984;Paitatlt1972; Krauskopf1990. tConespondlng author: Chiara Pito, MiBACT - Soprintendenza Archeologia deIta Sardegna, piazza lndipendenza 7, Cagliari 09724,llaly, E-Mail: [email protected] Marco Gluman, Università degti StudidiCagtiari - Dipartimento di Storia, BeniCulturali e Tenitorio, piazza lndipendenza7,09724 Cagliari, ltaly, E-Mail: [email protected] l- Chiara Pito 98 and Marco Giuman DE GRUYTER DE GRUYTER GreekMythonEtruscanUrnsfromPerusia:thesacrificeoflphigenia 99 - earliest evidence permanent of settlement dates back to the proto-Villanovan and villanovan periods.s Five chamber tombs of the necropolis of palazzone at ponte san Giovanni,6 near the Tiber, and two rich groups of bronzes from the environs, found at castel san MarianoT and san Valentino,8 document the existence in the sixth century B.c.E. of non-urban society ledby pincipe-s: the formation process of the city seems to have begun only at the end of the same century. According to the tradition, Perusia was one of the twelve cities of the Etruscan League.e The Roman conquest consisted of a sequence of military offensives and diplomatic agreements. At the end of the fourth century B.c.E., perusia was probably one of the Etruscan cities of the hinterland that fought against Rome. In 310 B.c.E. the consul e. Fabius Maximus Rullianus won two victories over the Etruscans' perusia, one of them near thereafter arranging a truce with perusia, Arretium and cortona.l. After the Roman victory at sentinum in 295 B.c.E., Perusia and volsinii were involved in new conflicts, followed by the establish_ mentof.foedera, punic During the second war perusia remained loyal to Rome, providing supplies and troops to the Roman army. The carthaginians passed through its territory, which they ravaged and plundered.lr rhe city took part in the civil war that began B.c.E. 91 In 90 B.c.E. as a result of the Lex Iulia it became a municipi- um, and its inhabitants were registered in the Tromentina tribe. Like other Etruscan cities, Perusia was involved in the war between Marius and sulla, taking the side of the Marian forces. In 41 B.c.E. Lucius Antonius and Fulvia, supporters of Marcus Antonius, occupied the city, which was then conquered by octavian after a siege. The city was seriously damaged. Many inhabitants were executed and their lands were given to veterans of the victorious army.r2 The Roman conquest of Etruria in the third century B.c.E. brought about a period perusia. of flourishing economy for The improvement of the road network made of Perusia a crucial crossroads in the trans-Apennine region.li Evidence for the rising fortunes of the city is a monumental building program, which had likely Fig. 1: Map of Etruria (authors). 5 Bratti 2007, 26-7, with bibliography. Tyrhenian coast and the trans-Apennine area aswell as a physical borderbetween 6 Cenciaioli 2002, 54-7; Berichillo 2004, 184-87; Ferugli o 2Ot7,233. Etruscans and umbrians.'zApart from some impasto potsherds from the area of the 7 Hòckmann 1982; Bruni 2002; Bruschetti cathedral3 and and Trombetta 2013. a knife of the celano type dating to the Final Bronze Age,4 the 8 Berichillo 2004, 189-90. 9 Strabo5.2.2. SeeTorelli 1983. to LiW9.41.5-7. lt LiW 23.17.11; 28.45.18. 2 For the history ofthe ancient city, see Bratti 2007, 25-36 vrith bibtiography. 12 onthebellumperusinumseeHarrislgTl,2gg-318;sisani20llwithbibliography. 3 Cenciaioli 2012, 13 The ancient relation with the trans-Appenine region is reflected in 4 Bianco Peroni 197 6, no. 248. the foundation legends of Perusia and Felsina/Borogna or Mantua/Mantova. on this topic see Briquel 20 02,12-20. 100 Chiara Pilo and Marco Giuman DE GRUYTER DE GRUYTER Greek Myth on Etruscan Urns from perusia: the sacrifice of rphigenia _ 1g1 began already in the fourth century B.c.E., when perusia was surrounded with a Between the third and the first century B.c.E. circuit of walls,la completed in the following century with the reconstruction in cremation was the standard funera_ ry practice of Etruscan perugia. The new and monumental form of the main gates ashes were collected in a pot (an of the city, the "Arco Etrusco,, and urn' o,.a) or in an which was buried in a pit or, more often, placed the "Porta Marzia," as part of the improved via Amerina.l5 inside chamber tombs in use for several generations.r e The cemeteries of this period are located along the via Amerina and the other The urns are made of local travertine, with main roads leading from the city gates (fig. 2).'6 other burial grounds in the a cubic or paralrelepiped box and a lid that could be shaped as a gabled territory between the cis and the Tiber seem to belong to autonomous rural roof, a pelta,or a sculpture of the deceased reclining on a couch. Most of them feature settlements (a sort of pagt). The most relevant of them is the necropolis of an inscription with the name of the deceased. Many urns are plain or with Palazzone,lT about 7 km southeast of the city, which includes about two hundred basic decoration, but the higher quarity products are decorated with figurar tombs, among them the famous hypogeum of the Velimna-Volumnii scenes from Greek mythology family.'8 This events, or historicar such as the victories of the Greeks necropolis was probably used by the inhabitants of a settlement along the via over the Gaurs and of Alexander the Great over the persians. The figural Amerina that controlled a ford of the Tiber. scenes are usually on the front carved of the box, in bas-reliefor, less frequently, high relief.