7 – Battle of Populonia (282 BC)
The Etruscans were probably the most enduring enemy faced by Rome in its early years. Details of these conflicts are limited, and most information is gleaned from a handful of ancient texts. The two states probably began hostilities as early as the 8th century BC when the Fidenates (an Etruscan people) tried to suppress Rome which was ruled by Romulus, its first king.
The final conflict occurred from 285-282 BC as the Romans fought the Etruscans and the Gauls. The Romans suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Gauls at the Battle of Arretium in 284 BC but recovered to beat the Etruscans at the Battle of Lake Vadimo in 283 BC. The Roman army, led by Publius Cornelius Dolabella, overcame an enemy army consisting of Senones and Etruscans. At this point, things get confusing as there are varying accounts of what happened by Appian and Polybius. Appian wrote that Dolabella ravaged the Senones with fire and sword.
Lake Vadimo was possibly the most decisive battle of the conflict, but it was only at Populonia that the Romans finally crushed Etruscan resistance permanently. There are practically no details of the battle other than the fact that Rome won a decisive victory and forced an unconditional surrender.
Ancient sources suggest that the war possibly dragged on for a couple of years until Tiberius Coruncanius conquered the important Etruscan city of Vulci in 280 BC. Archaeologists discovered magnificent tombs at Vulci in the 19th century, but sadly, the tombs have since been forgotten and lost. The Etruscans assimilated into the Roman culture as its conqueror began expanding its territory in earnest. The Etruscan language survived for another three centuries. After turning away a fierce invasion by King Pyrrhus of Epirus in the Pyrrhic War of 280-275 BC, Rome turned its attention to further conquest and met a formidable enemy in Carthage.