There were twelve Tuscan cities united in a federative alliance.

Between the Mac'ra and Arnus were, Pi'sae, _Pisa_; Floren'tia, _Florence_; and Fae'sulae: between the Arnus and the Tiber, Volate'rrae, _Volterra_; Volsin'ii, _Bolsena_; Clu'sium, _Chiusi_; Arre'tium, _Arrezzo_; Corto'na; Peru'sia, _Perugia_, (near which is the Thrasamene lake); Fale'rii, and Ve'ii.
17.

Each of these cities was ruled by a chief magistrate called _lu'cumo_, chosen for life; he possessed regal power, and is frequently called a king by the Roman historians.

In enterprises undertaken by the whole body, the supreme command was committed to one of the twelve _lucumones_, and he received a lictor from each city.
But from the time that Roman history begins to assume a regular form, the Tuscan cities stand isolated, uniting only transiently and casually; we do not, however, find any traces of intestine wars between the several states.
18.

The Etrurian form of government was aristocratical, and the condition of the people appears to have been miserable in the extreme; they were treated as slaves destitute of political rights, and compelled to labour solely for the benefit of their taskmasters.