FALISCI, a tribe of Sabine origin or connections, but speaking a dialect closely akin to Latin, who inhabited the town'of Falerii (q.v.), as well as a considerable tract of the surrounding country, probably as far south as Capena. But at the beginning of the historical period (i.e., from the beginning of the 5th century B.e.), and no doubt earlier, the dominant element in the town was Etruscan; and all through the wars of the following centuries the town was counted a member, and sometimes a leading member, of the Etruscan league (cf. Livy iv. 23, v. 17, vii. 17).
The Faliscans show many traces of their Italic origin, above all in their language, which is preserved in some 36 short inscrip tions, dating from the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., written from right to left in a peculiar alphabet derived from the Etruscan, with some traces of the influence of the Latin alphabet.
The phonetic characteristics of the Faliscan dialect are:— I. The retention of medial f which in Latin became b; 2. The representation of an initial Ind.-Eur. gh by f (foied, contrast Latin hodie) ; 3. The palatalization of d-O-consonant i into some sound de noted merely by i—the central sound of foied, from f o-died; 4. The loss of final s, at all events before certain following sounds (cra beside Latin cras).
Other characteristics, appearing elsewhere, are : 5. The retention of the velars (Fal. cuando=Latin quando; contrast Umbrian pan(n)u) ; 6. The assimilation of some final consonants to the initial letter of the next word : It seems probable that the dialect lasted on, though being grad ually permeated with Latin, till at least 15o B.C.
The remains found in the graves (see FALERII), which belong mainly to the period of Etruscan domination, give ample evidence of material prosperity and refinement. The earlier strata have yielded more primitive remains from the Italic epoch. A large number of inscriptions consisting mainly of proper names may be regarded as Etruscan rather than Faliscan.
See W. Deecke, Die Falisker; E. Bormann, in C.I.L. xi. pp. 465 ff.; and R. S. Conway, Italic Dialects.