SPURINNA

   Some early imperial (Roman) first-century AD inscriptions in Latin found at the temple of the Ara della Regina in Tarquinia record the exploits of the highly successful and expansive Spurinna descent group, centered on the Romanized T. Vestricius Spurinna. This is a late example of a long Etruscan tradition of ex pounding the achievements of the descent group in what are often designated elogia. The descent group is also known from the Tomb of the Bulls at Tarquinia, from an ivory plaque of a lion from San Omobono in Rome, from other tombs at Tarquinia, and from other burials at Blera and Tuscania in the territory of Tarquinia. A further source of information is five examples of a type of pottery (plates and cups) that have the descent group name on them either as donors or makers from the fifth century BC and found at Vulci and San Giuliano. The family also seems to have been present in North Etruria, in the Val di Chiana, Chiusi, and most prominently in Perugia.