The Siege of Cisra occurred in 399 BC during the Roman-Etruscan Wars. The Roman Legio I Alaudae, commanded by Marcus Furius Camillus, laid siege to the Veiian port city of Cisra, seizing it after an assault and thus depriving Veii of access to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Background[]
The Roman Republic and the Etruscan city-state of Veii fought a long, inconclusive war against each other since the early 400s BC, and, in 399 BC, the general Marcus Furius Camillus decided to end the war once and for all. He led his Legio I Alaudae out of Rome, augmenting it with mercenary Etruscan axe infantry and Latin warriors. Camillus sought to bring his larger army up against the Veiian king Arnthi Spedo at the port of Cisra, but Arnthi retreated to Veii with his army, leaving Cisra protected by a city garrison and by accompanying naval forces. Camillus' 2,000-strong army headed to the coast and laid siege to the unfortified city, facing 1,660 Veiian troops under three generals.
Siege[]
The melee battle
Cisra was an unfortified port city, and it served as Veii's principal trade port. Camillus drew his army up on the high ground outside the city before ordering his men to march on the city itself. His men split into multiple groups to attack the Etruscan defenders at different parts of the city. The Romans made good progress at first, but Etruscan reinforcements arrived by sea, with the naval forces in the ship's harbor landing fresh troops.
The Roman right flank wavered under pressure from these troops, but Camillus himself rode towards the fray to inspire his men. In addition, the Roman left flank succeeded in routing the weaker Etruscan forces there, and they were able to charge the Etruscans on the right flank from the rear. The Etruscans could not win a battle on two fronts, and they soon routed as well, leading to the entire Veiian army collapsing.
The Romans proceeded to pursue the fleeing Veiian forces, slaughtering as many as they could before calling off the pursuit. At the end of the day, 672 Romans and 1,410 Veiians were slain, while the Romans took 214 prisoners. The Romans peacefully occupied the settlement and all captives were released.
Aftermath[]
The Romans chasing down the Veiians
The capture of Cisra was a blow to Veii, which was deprived of its sea access. However, its main army remained strong in its heavily-fortified city, and the Romans were unable to immediately follow up their success against the Veiians, instead launching a war of attrition against the Etruscans. The war bankrupted the Romans, who were unable to pay for the conversion of the Etruscan buildings in Cisra into Roman ones, and Cisra's public order suffered as a result.
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