Italy - Lazio Region - Bill, the Etruscans & the Popes

We enjoyed Montemiletto for 2 more days after A&R left whilst we sorted air conditioning and arranged our selves for the next stage IE travelling alone, only us two holding hands, or more accurately scratching each others eyes out as we travel round. This is the part where we have no itinerary and simply wing it. S has been worried as it is holiday time in Italy and its busy. Well it is but the busy places are holiday places IE the beaches & touristy things.

When we were heading inland, to join A&R, avoiding the Rome ring motorway we went of piste and passed a small walled village, as we drove past the towns gate it was obvious there was history there so made a mental note. We got more mental as we drove for sure but luckily we were able to retrace our steps on the map and this was our destination upon cutting the cord now, 3 weeks later.

Etruscan Tombs

We drove about 4 hours largely up the SuperStrada, no problems in this heat with 30 ++ temps and aircon just purring away (another story), even left the van idling as we stopped in a layby for lunch. Another motive for heading north was a vain hope of out distancing the heatwave, (Well you know what happened in Pompei!!!!)
We duly arrived at Tuscania (not to be confused with Tuscany), 50ks North of Rome, a wee bit unsure of our lodgings or indeed what was

Christian church built over
an Etruscan Temple

behind the walls of this medieval town. We were immediately barred from taking our motorhome through the gates and directed via signage to an area at the top end of town, not a good start we thought. But far from disappointment we arrived at a small shaded free parking lot for Campers with water and dump facilities a scant 300 m from the top gates and 6 mins from the first cafe. BINGO

Amphitheatre Benevento

It was set up for campers but at some stage the town fathers lost the plot and the electric was no longer working but apart from this it suited our needs. Tranquillo

Tuscania is a medieval fortified town built on a commanding hill within a distance from Rome that made it strategic. This was true of most the towns we went on to visit in this region. The saying that "all roads lead to Rome" is so true and Rome has

Medieval city of Sutri

influenced these towns history over 2000 years, however their existence well predates the Romans by over half a millennium as these places in this area were founded by Etruscans, and the jury is still out on where and how they come to be here.

Amphitheatre carved into Tuff rock

Have read 2 theories and who assimilated who over the early centuries as the Etruscans had plumbed towns well before the toga wearing Romans made it into history. None the less the Romans eventually won the day and they kept the records to prove it all.

Mithraic Temple used by Etruscans
commandeered by the Christians all
carved into the Tuff hillside

Tuscanian history goes back to as early as 8th Cent BC from the Necroplis still very evident in the tuff hill sides. Tuff is a volcanic compacted scoria that though easy to work was resilient to wind and rain erosion unlike sand & lime stone. This has left a rich legacy of tombs ,which we have explored, for archaeologists and historians to glean some of the ancients story, making for some good reading, exploration and in awe off what can be achieved by a society we, in ignorance, would call primitive if we did not now know better.

Montefiascone
Looking out to Lake Bolsena

We forayed into Viterbo from here and again its early history the same, but wait, the real story here is the Papal angle, they were megalomaniac wealthy men from powerful families, who were constantly working with and against other powerful megalomaniacs (indeed at one period 3 simultaneous popes all claiming divine rites) basically amassing lands,(ie provinces) fortunes and influence. The stories are outrageously huge in their breadth and it is hard to see

where the religious part of the story is excepting the Church wielded with iron fists, an all powerful direct lineage to JC and his dad God. Christ they were largely rapacious political tyrants that the peoples had no reason too look to for leadership excepting to obey the dictum's and tow the line buying a path to heaven.
This started with the very early Popes and continued in many respects to modern times. One assumes they were very much men of their times and as such history may do them disservice, our reading of the facts now does not paint a glorious picture of kindly men doing the lords work!! The standing armies, fortified castles, land, allegiances and the masses that they  commanded has shaped the

Italians for 2000 years and continues to be a force in their daily lives. I have an insatiable need to look in every church I see, being a badly lapsed catholic, and these huge monuments intrinsically to God, but in reality to the popes and families that won favours, is testimony as why I'm lapsed. It seems that every Bishop, Cardinal, Pope, and powerful benefactor have needed to create their own monument to ...........well I let you decide. But God hasn't worked a lot of good to the people of these parts. Over 2000 yrs the country has become absolutely wodged with churches, (at no little cost) they are truly magnificent, numerous, full of antiquities & tourists. In fact tourists may well be the "silver lining"
Benevento, Viterbo, Mountefiascone and now Bolsena all share similar stories and have all had at one stage or other a real hand in history. Often multiple pieces of history. As we travel and enquire of "Wiki" or the "I"sites there is not one place that can't claim a place in this tapestry. Over 3 millennium and countless generations, events and twists of fates touch all, and the history just gets deeper, and deeper, and deeper.
We are at Lake Bolsena for two nights as we soak up the history, swim in the lake, enjoy the cafe culture and catch up on washing the undies. In the last few days we have only progressed a paltry 50ks further from Rome but the area keeps sidelining us as we mooch around.

Thankfully we have been enjoying temperatures in the mid 20's and low 30's for the last few days, apart from our walk in the bush to locate Necropolis, this is pleasant. The lake is cooling and last night the foreshore had 6 different musical groups playing over a km stretch of cafe's, markets etc, as it is holiday time and saints festivals etc etc. The cafe's largely get going after 5ish, restorantes at 7 ish then the bands start at 9:30 and we came home after 12. Have no idea what time it stops. There are very relaxed families, strolling with toddlers, dogs and grandparents etc just milling and chilling. Everyone is smoking, but we are getting used to that. Lots of youths, but no drunken or aggressive youths, we never feel intimidated, it is all very pleasant.