to the romans of the republic, the forest was as much feared as the trackless hercynian forest would be when they encountered that. in 310 bce the roman senate, even after the rout of the etruscans at sutrium, charged the consul fabius maximus rullianus not to enter this woodland in pursuit of the etruscans, and when it emerged that he had done so, all rome was struck with terror. the silva formed a natural barrier between ancient rome and etruria.