How much do you know about the Etruscans? Many people, even those who are fascinated by ancient history, are less familiar with this intriguing culture than with the history of Greece and Rome—but the story of the Etruscans is equally captivating and far more important than you may have known. This ancient civilization prospered in the region of modern-day Tuscany, maintaining extensive trade networks, building impressive fortified cities, making exquisite art, and creating a culture that, while deeply connected to the Greeks and Romans, had striking contrasts.
The Etruscans were the original inhabitants of central Italy. Centuries before the rise of Rome, they built cities such as Pompeii, Capua, and Orvieto along fortified hilltops. They developed a system of roads and invented what we call the Roman arch. While they had their own system of government, their own myths and legends, and their own cultural attributes, the Etruscans imported and repurposed much from the Greeks—and, in turn, gave much to the Romans.
Etruscan culture acted as a conduit, transmitting Greek art, mythology, language, and cultural icons to Rome, but it also had many unique elements that the Romans later adopted. You might be surprised to find out how much of Roman civilization—from togas to bronze military armor to Rome itself—actually has Etruscan origins. The Etruscans are largely responsible for:
- transmitting the alphabet, and therefore writing, to the Romans and other ancient societies as far away as the Nordic regions
- granting Rome much of its celebrated architecture and infrastructure, from the Cloaca Maxima water-control system to the storied arch
- developing exquisite works of bronze and terra-cotta, as well as mesmerizing tomb paintings
- creating well-known symbols of republican government—imagery that still lives on in U.S. government buildings like the Lincoln Memorial
- engaging in sports and spectacles such as chariot racing and gladiatorial combat
Without the Etruscans, much of what we associate with the Roman world, and thus the foundations of Western civilization, would largely disappear. The Mysterious Etruscans is your opportunity to discover this astounding culture and fill in a critical gap in your understanding of the ancient world. Taught by Dr. Steven Tuck, an award-winning Professor of Classics at Miami University, these 24 fascinating lectures give you an inside look into a seldom-studied but vitally important history.
Explore This Culture through Historical Detective Work
Little from Etruscan society remains unchanged, which means that to flesh out more than a bare-bones description, we must rely on deductions from the artworks, records, and tombs that survive. Part Sherlock Holmes, part CSI detective, Professor Tuck compiles the evidence to build the case for who the Etruscans were and what impact they made on the world around them. Over the course of his investigation, he considers questions such as:
- Where did the Etruscans come from? Did they migrate to the region from Asia Minor, or were they autochthonous—that is, did they spring up in from the region itself? Consider the evidence from primary sources such as Herodotus and the Aeneid, and compare it to the results of modern DNA research.
- What can we deduce from their tombs? Funeral practices are slow to change in any society, and therefore tell us much about how a civilization viewed itself in relation to the cosmos, as well as its cultural beliefs and priorities. Professor Tuck takes you inside the Etruscans’ famous “cities of the dead,” where you’ll discover a great deal about Etruscan culture among the living.
- Was Rome actually an Etruscan city? The Etruscans built a number of city-states on fortified hills, much like the geography of Rome. Professor Tuck examines the rulers and customs of Rome, as well as its urban design, to show why it isn’t too far-fetched to suggest that the city actually has Etruscan origins.
- Where did the Etruscans go? Because we know the Etruscans are no longer here, we might assume they gradually folded into Roman culture. Take a look at their final years as a distinct culture—and how the Romans appropriated and repurposed much of what was uniquely Etruscan.
Go Inside the Public and Private Lives of the Etruscans
Beyond their influence on Roman culture, the Etruscans are fascinating in their own right. Their family structures alone make them unique among ancient civilizations. For instance, unlike women in Greek or Roman societies, Etruscan women enjoyed relative equality with men—appearing in public and at social gatherings
One of the most popular forms of social entertainment was the banquet. The Etruscans held banquets to honor the dead, celebrate military victory, and worship the gods, among other reasons. As you’ll discover, other societies often viewed the Etruscans as decadent and immoral with all those women out in public, but the Etruscans had different—and, we might say, ahead of their time—cultural beliefs and priorities.
Although original Etruscan cities have largely been built over, Professor Tuck is able to take us inside their homes by looking at the current city foundations as well as the Etruscan necropolises—literal cities of the dead fashioned to mirror their cities for the living. This evidence gives us crucial insight into the Etruscans’ sophisticated family structure, as well as their views on children, religion, and more.
Gain a New Perspective on the Ancient World
The Etruscans built an impressive trade network across the Mediterranean. As such, they were able to import much from the Greeks, the Phoenicians, and other societies and bring it to central Italy and the Romans. One of the delights of this course is seeing how the Etruscans took cultural motifs from elsewhere, modified them, and made them their own. For example, you’ll see how they borrowed extensively from Greek mythology and adapted it for their own religious practices.
You’ll also see how Etruscan culture influenced the larger world around them. One dramatic example is their art, craftsmanship, and metalworking. Tomb paintings, portraits, terra-cotta vessels, and other pieces give us insight into the process of artistic creation and the way art reflects, and in some cases informs, society. Meanwhile, the Etruscan traditions of bronze sculptures, military armor, and more were picked up by the Romans and revived in the Renaissance.
Although they are too often ignored by today’s history enthusiasts, the Etruscans had complex religious, social, and governmental customs; built an incredible trade network; and created exquisite and advanced arts and architecture. Their stories may have been overshadowed by their outsized neighbors, but now, The Mysterious Etruscans gives you the chance to fill in those eye-opening details and learn about one of the most interesting civilizations omitted by the history books.
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