Board Thread:Timeline Discussions/@comment-6912688-20130416211138/@comment-6912688-20130806003622

 443 BC – Clusium, after several years of military buildup, sacks Perusia. The remaining cities of the Etruscan League vote to expel Clusium, and declare war. The armies of Caere and Falerii attack Clusium’s south, where it quickly becomes clear the Clusium is ridiculously overextended. The combined forces sack and raze first Noscaverus, then the fort at Oppidum Victores and finally the Clusian settlement on the Tiber. Then they swing north, join up with around 1500 men from Tarquinii, and smash a Clusian army sent to destroy them. However, the war goes much better for Clusium in the north. They manage to quickly crush Cortona, razing its walls, killing many of the leading citizens, and agreeing to spare the city from destruction and slaughter only in return for five hundred pounds of gold. The Clusian army even manages to besiege Arretium, though they are forced to retreat by the arrival of a numerically superior Etruscan army from the south. The league is prevented from reversing the war and taking Clusian territory, however, by the onset of winter. Both sides’ armies withdraw to their respective territories to wait out the winter.

 442 BC – In March, the Etruscan League manages to secure a shipment of supplies from the Latins, who are still aching from their war with Clusium and eager for revenge (remember, a Clusian army ravaged the Latin countryside for two months, and their untrained, lightly armored soldiers took heavy casualties when engaging Clusium’s army, and Clusium encroached on their territory by founding their settlement. They have a right to their grudge). Soon after, Volterra, Arretium, Populonium, and Vetulonii join forces into an army that is massive for the size and the manpower resources of the day; 47,000 strong. They begin marching from the south. With the armies of Vulci, Tarquinii, and Caere (Falerii stayed behind to secure its new territory gained and defend against Volscian raiders). Coming from the south, the Clusian command knows it has to act. The Clusian army is ferried secretly across Lake Clusium. A Clusian deserter warns the Etruscan League army about the invasion, but it’s too late and the Clusian force smashes the back of the marching army. The shaken Etruscans turn to face their army, but are still unprepared. Clusian cavalry manages to destroy many of the supply wagons, beginning a mass rout. A third of the allied army is killed in the battle and the subsequent flight. The survivors make it to Arretium and the Clusian army, originally smaller than the allied army and having taken significant losses in the battle, withdraws to Cortona. The two sides stare at each other for several months, before Clusian diplomats conclude a treaty with Faesulae. Faesulae agrees to support Clusium in the coming war in exchange for later military help against the maurauding Gauls. Seeing this alliance, the armies of Volterra and Populonium retreat to join with the army of Vulci-Tarquinii. Vetulonii forces soon follow, despite the vehement protests of Arretium. Arretium, however, is saved by winter.