Caere (also
Caisra and
Cisra) is the Latin name given by the
Romans to one of the larger cities of Southern
Etruria, the modern
Cerveteri, approximately 50-60 kilometres north-northwest of
Rome. To the Etruscans it was known as
Cisra and to the
Greeks as
Agylla. It was bounded by the two rivers
Mola and
Manganello, and lay 80 metres above sea level on an outcrop of rocky
tuff, a few kilometers from the coast.
Today, the area of Cerveteri is known for its Etruscan necropolis and archeological treasures.
The earliest evidence of settlement of the site come from finds of urns at two areas (Cava della Pozzolana and Sorbo) from the 8th and 9th centuries BC. Trade with the Greeks at Etrusco became increasingly common in the middle of the 8th century BC, with standardised urns and pottery common in graves of the time.
The town became Etruria's main trading centre during the 7th century BC, as well as increasing trade with other Greek colonies in Southern Italy and Sicily, and with the Corinthians. Locally manufactured products began to imitate imported Greek pottery.
