Battle of Silva Arsia

The Battle of Silva Arsia was a battle in 509 BC

between the republican forces of ancient Rome and Battle of Silva Arsia
Etruscan forces of Tarquinii and Veii led by the deposed
Roman king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. The battle Part of the Roman–Etruscan
took place near the Silva Arsia (the Arsian forest) in Wars
Roman territory, and resulted in victory to Rome but
the death of one of her consuls, Lucius Junius Brutus. Date c. 509 BC
The battle was one of a number of attempts by Tarquin Location near the Silva
to regain the throne, and can also be seen as part of the
ongoing conflict between the Etruscan cities and the Arsia (a forest
expanding Roman state. The battle forms part of nearby Rome)
Rome's early history, which is to a large degree
legendary. Result Roman victory

Defeat of
Background monarchist
In 509 BC, the Roman monarchy was overthrown and forces and
the Roman Republic was established with the election of maintenance
the first consuls. The deposed king, Lucius Tarquinius
Superbus, whose family originated from Tarquinii in of Republican
Etruria, garnered the support of the Etruscan cities of government.
Veii and Tarquinii, recalling to the former their regular
losses of war and of land to the Roman state, and to the
latter his family ties.
Belligerents
Roman Tarquinii
Battle Republic Veii
The armies of the two cities followed Tarquin to battle, Commanders and leaders
and the Roman consuls led the Roman army to meet
them, with Publius Valerius commanding the Roman Lucius Junius Lucius
infantry and Lucius Junius Brutus the equites. Similarly, Brutus † Tarquinius
the king commanded the Etruscan infantry, and his son
Aruns had command of the cavalry. Publius Superbus
Valerius Aruns
The cavalry first joined battle and Aruns, having spied
from afar the lictors, and thereby recognising the Publicola Tarquinius †
presence of a consul, soon saw that Brutus was in
command of the cavalry. The two men, who were cousins, charged each other, and speared each
other to death. The infantry also soon joined the battle, the result being in doubt for some time.
The right wing of each army was victorious, the army of Tarquinii forcing back the Romans, and
the Veientes being routed. However the Etruscan forces eventually fled the field, the Romans
claiming the victory.[1 ] According to Plutarch the battle was said to have been fought on the last
day of February.

Aftermath
On the night after the battle, Livy reports that a voice believed to be the spirit of Silvanus was
heard to come from the nearby forest, saying "more of the Etrurians by one had fallen in the battle;
that the Roman was victorious in the war".[2]

The consul Valerius collected the spoils of the routed Etruscans. He returned to Rome to celebrate
a triumph which, according to the Fasti Triumphales, took place on 1 March 509 BC. The funeral of
Brutus was carried out by Valerius with great magnificence.[2][3]

Livy writes that later in 509 BC Valerius returned to fight the Veientes. It is unclear whether this
was continuing from the Battle of Silva Arsia, or was some fresh dispute. It is also unclear what
happened in this dispute.[4]

References
1. Livy, Ab urbe condita, 2.6–7
2. Livy, Ab urbe condita, 2.7
3. Fasti Triumphales
4. Livy, Ab urbe condita 2.8

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