Caelius Vibenna (EtruscanCaile Vipina) was a nobleEtruscan who livedc. 750 BCE (but see below) and was a brother ofAulus Vibenna (EtruscanAvile Vipina).
Upon arriving at Rome, Vibenna was a friend of the sixth king of RomeServius Tullius.[1] He and his brother Aulus are also recorded as having aided KingTarquinius Superbus, although Tarquinius Superbus lived some five generations after Romulus.Tacitus relates that a certain hill in Rome, previously namedQuerquetulanus (after the oak trees covering the hill) was renamed theCaelian Hill after Caelius Vibenna.[2]
There is a burial urn inscribedArnth Caule Vipina at Deposito de' Dei atChiusi, Italy. It is likely that the ashes within belong to a different Etruscan of the same name.[3]
Caelius and Aulus Vibenna seem to have been well-known figures in Etruscan legend.Claudius, in a speech to the Senate, referred to the 'adventures' of Caelius Vibenna and his companion 'Mastarna', whom Claudius equates withServius Tullius.[4] Claudius claimed that Mastarna left Etruria with the remnants of Caelius' army and occupied the Caelian Hill, naming it after Vibenna.[5]
TheFrançois Tomb atVulci contains a scene showing Caelius and Aulus Vibenna taking part in one of these adventures. The scene appears to show Caelius and Aulus Vibenna and Mastarna with companions named 'Larth Ulthes', 'Rasce' and 'Marce Camitlnas'. These figures are shown slaughtering foes named as 'Laris Papathnas Velznach', 'Pesna Aremsnas Sveamach', 'Venthical[...]plsachs' and 'Cneve Tarchunies Rumach' (interpreted as 'Gnaeus Tarquinius of Rome'). It appears that the group of foes had taken Caelius, Aulus, Mastarna, Rasce and Marce Camitlnas prisoner, but while they were sleeping, Larth Ulthes crept into their camp armed with swords which he gave to his companions. The erstwhile prisoners are shown killing their former captors. Mastarna is shown freeing Caelius Vibenna.[6][7]
