The Etruscans

Society and Politics
Etruscan civilization was organized into a confederation of independent city-states such as Tarquinia, Cerveteri, Veio, and Chiusi. Although these cities shared language, religion, and customs, they never formed a single political entity. Power was generally concentrated in the hands of an aristocratic elite that prospered through trade, particularly in metals like iron and copper.

Economy and Trade
The Etruscans were skilled merchants and navigators, dominating the western Mediterranean before Rome’s rise. Their advantageous geographical position facilitated the development of an extensive trade network linking them to civilizations such as the Phoenicians, Greeks, and later, Carthaginians. They exported metals, ceramics, and luxury items while importing fine goods like wine, olive oil, and artistic artifacts.

Religion and Spirituality
Etruscan religion was complex and deeply influenced by Eastern and Greek beliefs. The Etruscans were profoundly spiritual, practicing a form of divination known as aruspicia, which involved interpreting the entrails of sacrificed animals, and lectio haruspicina, which studied natural signs like lightning. Etruscan tombs, richly decorated, reflect their conception of the afterlife, seen as a continuation of earthly life.

Art and Architecture
Etruscan art featured a wide range of expressions, including painting, sculpture, goldsmithing, and pottery. Tombs often adorned with frescoes, such as those from the necropolis of Tarquinia, provide extraordinary evidence of daily life, religious rites, and celebrations. The Etruscans also excelled in bronze and gold working, creating jewelry and artifacts of extraordinary beauty, like the famous buccheri, or bronze and terracotta statues such as the Apollo of Veio.

Cultural Legacy
The Etruscan influence on Roman culture is evident in various areas such as architecture (the arch and vault), religion (divination and sacred rituals), political institutions (the symbol of the fasces), and even the calendar. Their language, though nearly lost today, survives in numerous place names and terms used by the Romans. The Etruscans remain key to understanding the roots of Italian civilization.

Decline
Etruscan civilization began to decline with the expansion of Rome from the 4th century BCE. The Etruscan city-states, often divided among themselves, could not resist Roman power. With the conquest of Veio in 396 BCE and that of Tarquinia and Cerveteri in the following centuries, the Etruscans were gradually absorbed into the Roman Republic, losing their cultural and political identity.

The Etruscans, despite their disappearance as an independent civilization, left an indelible mark on the history of Italy and the Mediterranean, making them a fundamental piece for understanding the roots of Western culture.