\f1 \fs22 As in the\b \cf4 \ATXht1112 Greek world\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 , the Etruscan civ
ilization was organized into independent city states. In the archaic era, at least up until the end of the sixth century BC, they were ruled by <<lucumones>> i.e. by priest-kings who held supreme power. The ancient authors often referred to an Etruscan <
<dodecapolis,>> an economic and religious league or federation of the most important cities. It is likely that such an alliance served a political and military purpose as well. Between the end of the fifth and the sixth century BC the monarchy was replac
ed by a system of oligarchy, with collegial and temporary elected magistratures. \par
At times this transition was a traumatic process, passing through periods of tyranny and military dictatorship. Emblematic of this was the case of Rome, where \b \cf4 \ATXht55 Mastarna\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 (Servius Tullius) overthrew the dynasty of the Tarquins and carried out a major reform of the constitution. Among the various magistratures known to us from the epigraphic documents that have survived, the Zilaq was the h
ighest office of the state, comparable to the Roman praetor. The term is often accompanied by other words specifying his functions, and thus there was a Zilaq in charge of religious matters, a Zilaq responsible for the protection of clients and the plebs
, and another who was entrusted with the interests of the nobility.\par
