BOLSENA, an Italian t., in the province of Rome, about 20 m. n n.w. of the town of Viterbo. It is situated on the a. shore of the lake of Bolsena (locus Irolsioiensi:s), on the road from Florence by Siena to Rome. It has now little more than' 2000 inhabitants; hut in early ages it was a place of great importance, forming one of the twelve Etruscan cities, under the name of Volsinii. When finally subjugated by the Romans (280 n.c.), as many as 200U statues are said to have been taken from it; but, though this is doubtless au exaggeration, we may gather from it that the Volsinians had achieved a high reputa tion for wealth and artistic skill. The Romans razed the Etruscan city to the ground, but built another in its place, which, however, is not much celebrated in history, except as the birthplace of Sejanus, the favorite and minister of Tiberius. Pliny records that it was the scene of supernatural occurrences, king Porsenua having here called down fire from heaven to destroy a monster, Volta, that was ravaging the surrounding Conn try. In later ages, acecn-ding to the traditions of the Roman Catholic church, a doubt
ing Bohemian priest was here eon vinced of the truth of the doctrine of transubstantia tion, by witnes.sing the flow of blood from the host he was consecrating; and in com memoration of this supernatural occurrence, Urban IV. instituted the festival of the Corpus Domini. Raphael has immortalized the incident. Half a mile from B. are a few traces of the Etruscan city, and many fragments of the Boman one remain. The lake Bolsena is it fine expanse of water about 10 in. long and 8 broad, but its shores are very unhealthy. The Marta river carries its waters into the Mediterranean. It has two islands, Bisentina and Mantilla, which were favorite autumnal retreats of pope Leo X. Martona'is fambus rig the scene of the exile and murder of the Gothic queen Ama lasontlia, by her cousin Theodatus.