The Etruscans Facts (Illustrated History of Ancient Rome

- No one knows for certain where the Etruscans had originally come from. They may have migrated from Asia Minor (now called Turkey) before settling in Etruria.

- Historians have not deciphered much Etruscan writing (namely gods and goddesses) and cannot read first-hand accounts of Etruscan history.

- The Etruscans did not speak an Indo-European language as did most migrant peoples from Asia Minor.

- The mud, bricks, and wood from their buildings have all disappeared and though archaeologists have unearthed foundations of some Etruscan cities, there is very little revealed about Etruscan culture.

- Most of the knowledge of the Etruscans have been found in their burial chambers though not much is revealed.

- The many Etruscan tomb paintings reveal that they enjoyed sports, religious ceremonies, music and feasts.

- Decorative objects have been found in tombs such as furniture, clothing, pottery, tools, and jewelry all revealing that they were just as had been spoken about them, "wealthy Mediterranean traders."

- Scholars have determned that their society consisted of wealthy overlords who made slaves of conquered peoples, aristocratic priests who sacrificed prisoners of war forced them to duel to the death to appease angry gods.

- The Etruscans were the first civilized people to settle in Italy and they greatly influenced the Romans.

- The Etruscans were flourishing from around 800 BC to 400 BC.

- In the 6th cent. BC. they occupied and ruled Rome for 100 years.

- Extensive iron ore deposits near them in north central Italy made them very rich from trade.

- The Etruscans adopted the Greek alphabet.

- They had skilled workers in bronze, iron and precious metals.

- At the height of their power they were ruling from the River Po to Naples.

- It was the Etruscans that wore a robe, later known to the Romans as the "toga."

- The Etruscans built Rome's first drainage system.

- Etruscan soldiers carried an official symbol called the "fasces" which was an axe with its handle surrounded by sticks and tied with rope.

- The Etruscan and Roman civilizations were put together from bits and pieces from Asia Minor, Greece, Phoenicia, Israel, Egypt, and Persia.

- The Romans adopted almost all of their superior warfare techniques including weapons and armor designs from the Etruscans, using the same techniques to conquer them in the fourth century BC.

- Etruscan women were considered equal to men

- Roman elegance was adopted from the Etruscans, lavish banquets reclining on couches, watching dancers and other entertainers while being served courses of fine food and drink by slaves.

- Senior officials of the Roman Republic derived their insignia from the Etruscans: curule chair, purple-bordered toga (toga praetexta), and bundle of rods (fasces).

The History of Rome - Part One 743 - 136 B.C.