Etruscans

[Lantalasse]

hi,
i would like to know if anyone has any interesting information on the etruscans...i know a bit about their history, the empire was located in northern italy since very ancient times i think, and after the rise of rom they were conquered and became part of the roman empire.
i also know that Latin, originately from Latium which is the area around rome was enhanced by the etruscan language which in some ways was influenced by old ancient greek(i know that sounds a bit anorthodox as a term-i'm talking about Linear A and B)
i'm asking about the etruscans because about ancient civilisations that lived in modern italy we only always hear about the romans

anyway if anyone has any information i would be very grateful

[Finduilas]

Now go to this site there is plenty, plenty of information
www.mysteriousetruscans.com

[Niniel]

A friend of mine could tell you lots about them, she's going to write her university thesis about the Etruscans. I don't really know a lot about them. What I do know is that their origins are very obscure. They are propably not native to Italy, but have settled there in some time we can not establish. This can be told by looking at their language, which does not belong to the Indo-European branch of languages. It has not been deciphered yet (it woudl be really cool to be the first person to translate Etruscan- like Linear A which has not been deciphered either). The Etruscans did have many contacts with Greece; especially in teh period until 300 BC, when their kingdom was the most powerful one in Italy. Well, actually it wsn't really a kingdom but a confederation of twelve cities, the capital being Veii (close to Rome). In this time the whole south of Italy and Sicily was colonized by Greek cities, and that whole area is therefore called "Greater Greece" (Magna Graecia or Megale Hellas). So the Etruscan state and the Greek cities in the south were the main bases of power in Italy, and naturally they had intensive contact (especially for trade). After 300 the power of Rome started to grow, and both the Etruscan state and the Greek south were incorporated in the Roman empire.
That's about all I know, hope it helps.

[Lantalasse]

thanks for the info...i actually knew about Magna Graecia-megale Hellas...i grew up in Greece so we had to do a lot of ancient history. i was really interested in the language connections in europe before the rise of rome etc

i'm going to check the link now anyway

cheers

[Walter]

I found H. A. Stützer's book "Die Etrusker und ihre Welt" (the Eruscans and their World) rather interesting (and helpful), whereas I found D.H. Lawrence's "Etruscan Places" rather decent.

Most pieces of interesting Etruscan artwork can be found in Rome, but if you get to Italy, don't forget to pay a visit at some Etruscan places, they are really fascinating (Tarquinia, Cerveteri, Saturnia...)