 It is the site of the ancient Etruscan city which was one of the most important Etruscan cities with an area more than 15 times larger than today's town.Caere was one of the city-states of the Etruscan League and at its height, around 600 BC, its population was perhaps around 25,000 – 40,000 people.The ancient city was situated about 7 km from the sea, a location which made it a wealthy trading town derived originally from the iron-ore mines in the Tolfa Hills.