ABSTRACT
Rome, a growing city to the south. In 509 b.c.e., however, the Roman populace banished King Tarquin the Proud and set up a republic. In the fifth century b.c.e., the Etruscans started losing battles for trade rights to the Greek colonies in the south of Italy. Beginning in the fourth century, they suffered invasions from Roman tribes in the south and from Celts in the north. The great alliance of the Twelve Peoples began to break apart into independent city-states. In 396 b.c.e., the Romans captured the Etruscan city of Veii, about 12 miles (20 km) north of Rome. Thereafter, the Roman Republic expanded at the expense of the Etruscan city-states.
