The attribute of "very ancient city" of which Sutri takes pride in can be confirmed in the discoveries and archeological excavations. However, its real splendour ocurred during the Etruscan period - from IV cent. B.C. - once fortified on a tuff rise (the remains of tuff blocks can still be seen) it blocked the road and controlled trade in the inner most part of Etruria on the border between the Lucumonia of Tarquinia, falisco territory. From here comes the name T. Livio of "the door of Etruria".
Conquered by Rome in 394 B.C. it experienced bitter battles between Etruscans and Romans in the year 311 and 310 B.C. Its well-being increased with the construction of the Consular Cassia, the great artery of traffic between Rome and the central - northern regions. It then became a Roman municipium and with Augustus Colonia Coniuncta Iulia Sutrina. On the tuff hill that points to the urban area stretched out for over two hundred metres at the front of the Cassia, is a rocky Etruscan necropolis that re-echoes models and architecture to be found in the region. Today 64 tombs are visible. They are situated on different levels; chamber tombs at times with niches, aediculas and arcosolium fronts, where cremation and inhumation took place. Invariably used throughout the centuries by pilgrims that walked along the Via Francigena and by the local people themselves, they date from III cent. B.C. - I century A.D.
Half way along this fascinating line of tombs is one of the most suggestive and ancient monuments in the Tuscia region: the amphitheatre at Sutri. It was entirely sculptured from the tufaceous rock of the hill with a north-south orientation and a major axis of 49m and a minor one of 40m. It does not have a precise architectural style. On the inside is a flight of steps, access corridors and entrance doors. It was built with Etruscan techniques and labour towards the end of the I century B.C. and the beginning of the next. Not far from it is an Etruscan tomb, that was transformed in Mitreo in the III century A.D. and then became a suggestive christian hypogean church dedicated to the Madonna del Parto.