The Etruscan Civilization in Italy

**MinervaItalica** · 08-31-2019, 02:15 PM

June 23, 2018

Originally settled in what is Tuscany today, the Etruscans were one of the most important civilizations in ancient Italy. The name Etrusci was given to the civilization by the Romans, and it was from this name that Tuscany’s name eventually derived.

Archaeological site of tombs (necropolis) near Populonia, in Tuscany

The Etruscans existed in Italy before the founding of Rome and, although the exact date of their origin is unclear, it is known that they were a people with their own unique language. During the peak of Etruscan power, around the time Rome was founded, the civilization spread to different regions from Etruria (that included today’s Tuscany, Western Umbria and Northern Lazio) to Campania. There is evidence to suggest that the very area where Rome was to be founded had been also under Etuscan influence.

Ancient Face of the Etruscan Devil

Etruscan Culture
Based on archeological remains and information gathered over the centuries it is believed that the Etruscan civilization developed sometime after 800 BC and did not lose its hold on the area until after 500 BC. The debate as to whether it was the Etruscans who influenced the Romans or vice versa still rages and, without more information, an answer remains unclear.

The Etruscan Necropolis in Populonia

History of the Civilization
Etruscans settlements were mainly on top of steep hills (see for example Volterra or Orvieto) and were known to be surrounded by walls and fortifications. According to popular mythology, when Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus it was done on the Palantine Hill according to Etruscan tradition. Unfortunately, when Rome was attacked by the Gauls in 390 BC much of its written records were destroyed so little is actually known about the city before that time.

Etruscan society was organized in city-states, some of which still exist today: Volterra, Orvieto, Arezzo, Populonia (that boasts one of the best preserved necropolis of Etruscan time), Terracinia, Tarquinia, Perugia, Cerveteri, Chiusi, Crotona, Veio (some of its ruins can be seen in Isola Farnese, about 9 miles north of Rome), Vetulonia (part of today’s Castiglione della Pescaia), Fiesole, Vulci (today part of the town of Montalto di Castro in Lazio), Volsinii (destroyed by the Romans in 264 BC).

Detail from Etruscan arch in Volterra, Tuscany

The Architecture
The architectural style used by the Etruscans was inspired by the Greeks, albeit adapted for their own needs. The result was that over the years the Etruscans developed their own architectural style, which eventually went on to inspire the mighty Romans. In the city of Rome there are many features that point to this Etruscan influence.

The Etruscan Art Form
Terracotta figures and sculptures were among the most common Etruscan art forms. These figures were often found in temples and sarcophagi.

Wall paintings, metal work, bronze work and engraved mirrors made from bronze have also been found.. The Etruscans deeply believed in the after life and their art was closely tied to both their religion and day-to-day life. Etruscan art work also features musical instruments like lyre, khitara, crotales and tympanum.

Artisan vase Etruscan style (Tuscany)

Etruscan Families and Beliefs
The various Etruscan tombs discovered in Italy over the years have provided a wealth of information. Several elaborate tombs appear to have been built for entire families rather than an individual.

The aristocratic family during the Etruscan age was considered to be a fixed institution similar to the Roman gens. The growth of the aristocratic class was mainly due to the accumulation of wealth through commerce and trade, especially in the richest Etruscan cities along the coast. The Etruscans were also known to be extremely supportive of monogamy and couple pairings are highly emphasized in their art. The depiction of women in Etruscan art, often in naked embraces, is thought to be connected with their spiritual beliefs and a symbol used to ward off evil.

Unlike women in Greek and Roman societies, it appears that Etruscan women had a lot of freedom, which might have been misunderstood by the other two civilizations. The Etruscans were also known for believing in the importance of the equality given to women within their society.

Sculpture within gardens of the Etruscan Museum, Rome

Evidence would suggest that the Etruscans heavily influenced the ancient Romans and it is certain that they are one of the most important civilizations to have ever existed on the land that is modern day Italy.

Source: https://www.lifeinitaly.com/history/...n-civilization

**wvwvw** · 08-31-2019, 03:06 PM

Livy uses the term Tyrrhenia as a Geographic term which covers many different tribes. The Latin makes no mention at all of any tribe or people called Etruscans. It refers to the population of Etruria which was a mixture of tribes none of which called themselves the Etrusci.

Latin text mentions a Tuscan word and clearly distinguishes the Tuscans from other Etrurian populations, by referring to "Tuscan fashion" and "Tuscan word". This implies there are other Etrurian populations who are not Tuscans..like the Tyrrhenians. Ancient historians say that Pelasgians also colonized Tyrrhenia. Pliny says the Pelasgains were eventually conquered by the Lydian Tyrrehenians and this would have been after Herodotus time.

The word Etruria came from the corruption of the Lydian name Tyrrhenia via Greek since there is a Greek ending which agree with "H" or "The (fem.)".

"Etruria" = "H Tyrrhenia"

The inscriptions found in Northern Italy are most likely Pelasgian before a commonly accepted spelling convention was adopted and least likely to be Tyrsenian since it was the Pelasgians that brought the Cadmian script to northern Italy in c.1490 BC not the Tyrsenoi who came there in 1610 BC BEFORE the proto-Canaanite script was even invented as ideograms. Further more there is not one shred of evidence showing that these Northern Italy inscriptions were all written by the same people or even in the same language.

Unlike women in Greek and Roman societies, it appears that Etruscan women had a lot of freedom, which might have been misunderstood by the other two civilizations. The Etruscans were also known for believing in the importance of the equality given to women within their society.

The myth about women in ancient Greece not being free was invented by stupid archaeologists and journalists, who had never read any Greek literature or historical works in their lives.

Lets see what the history books say. Amazons. Spartan women. Artemisia, queen of Halicarnasus. Phryne. Clytemnestra. Hera, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Helen another powerful woman.

DNA explodes Greek myth about women

”Women in Ancient Greece were major power brokers in their own right, researchers have discovered, and often played key roles in running affairs of state. Until now it was thought they were treated little better than servants”.

”But this discovery shows both the man and the woman were of equal status and had equal power,' he said. 'Women in Ancient Greece held positions of power by right of birth, it now appears.

'The problem has been that up until recently our interpretation of life in Ancient Greece has been the work of a previous generations of archaeologists, then a male-oriented profession and who interpreted their findings in a male-oriented way. That is changing now and women in Ancient Greece are being seen in a new light.'
https://www.theguardian.com/science/...cs.sciencenews

**wvwvw** · 08-31-2019, 03:27 PM

Evidence would suggest that the Etruscans heavily influenced the ancient Romans and it is certain that they are one of the most important civilizations to have ever existed on the land that is modern day Italy.

Italian history has been recorded in writing since at least 1700 BC. In ”Minoan” times Italy was ruled by the same kings who ruled over Greece who the Romans and the Greeks went on to worship as Gods.

After the Thera Eurruption in 1628 BC Italy remained without a king until Ianus Ogyges, a Greco-Scythian, came to Italy from Greece. He was succeeded by his son Comerus Gallus to progenitor of the Gauls. The tyrant Ham, Camese or Chomasbelus in Berosus list (as preserved by Eusebius) then seized power and was deposed by another king named Ianus or Janus who has been confused with his predecessor but was probably Javan/Ion son of Japheth/Iapetus son of Ianus Ogyges.

At about this time Osyris (Zeus) is born in Crete who is referred to in British (Nennius) and Irish (Book of Invasions) accounts as Hisrau or Esru king of the Greeks and the Scyths. Osyris then travels the world righting wrongs and is eventually made king of Italy in 1500 BC under the title Jupiter Iustus Olympicus otherwise known as the Italian king Picus who lived at the about the time of the Deucalion flood according to Latin accounts and according to Pausannius had his body buried in Crete after his death and was worshiped as Zeus.

Osyris was succeeded by Libyus also called Hercules as referred to by Diodorus who makes him the son of Osyris but other Italian accounts make him the son of Dodonim or the king of Dodonia in Greece which fits in with the accounts of Osyris ruling over Scythia and northern Greece. Athus/Atys the son of Libyus went on to rule over Lydia and fathered Mysus, Car, Lydus and Tyrrhenus. This means that Lybius was probably another name given to Manes who Herodotus makes the father of Atys, and was probably originally rendered in Mycenaean Greek as Luwius and is therefore the progenitor of the Luwians or Luvians who are referred to by the Hittites where V/W or Digama is corrupted to B or Beta in later Greek dialects, and also into D or Delta thus the Luvians became the Lydians.

Lybius becomes king after deposing the tyrannical sons of Lestrigon the nephew of Osyris who were indigenous to Italy and is succeeded by this son Tuscus the progenitor of the Tuscans in northern Italy. After his son Alteus, Hesperus is made king and is deposed by his brother Atlas who is said to be a descendent or related to Comerus Gallus but from his title Italus Atlanteus Kittim is probably the son of Kittim, son of Javan, son of Ianus who ruled over Cyprus were his was called Kethimus, Cinyras or Kypros, and over other islands, except Crete which according to Diodorus and Berosus was at the time ruled by the tyrant Milinus and his son of the same name who was installed by Hercules Libyus and Osyris after Milinus.

Atlas is succeeded by his son Morges who resignes the trone to Cambon or Corythus the father of Iasius and Dardanus who after defeating his brother who is killed while riding in his chariot is expelled from Italy and travels to Arcadia soon after the Deucalion flood which happened at the end of the reign of Lycaon and then to Samothrace where he learns the mysteries of the Kabiroi and then takes them to Troy which was then ruled by Teucer king of the Teukrians whose daughter Battia he marries and becomes king after his father-in-law's death. At this time Maeonia and Phrygia were suffering from a great famine and Atys the king gives Dardanus the rule of Phrygia in exchange for his kingdom in northern Italy which Atys son Tyrrhenus takes a colony to in order to lessen the famine. After Tyrrhenus arrives in Italy, Corybantus the son of Iasius hands the rule over to him and migrates to Phrygia to join Dardanus.

Italy then breaks up into 12 regions ruled by 12 Dukes, including Tyrrhenus their leader. Rhomanessus the grandson of Atlas at about this time founded Rome in 1438 BC and was succeeded by Picus and his descendents.

In about 1274 BC when another Picus the son of Saturnus ruled, Zepho comes to Italy from Africa after falling out with Angeas (Aegeus) king of Africa the brother of Lycus king of Sardinia and makes war on the descendents of Tubal, the Sabines and becomes their king in 1259 BC, and then goes to war with Angeas. At about this time Hercules Palamon the son of Alcmene comes to Italy in the reign of Faunus the son of Picus and Evander.

Afterwards Janaeus rules the land of the Sabines and is followed by Latinus (either his son of the son of Faunus) who also rules over Latium, Rome and Alba. Not long after this Paris Alexander abducts Helen and the Achaeans capture Tory but allow Aeneas safe passage to Italy where he marries Lavinia the daughter of Latinus and becomes king after defeating Mezentius who invaded Latium just before Aeneas arrived. The rest of the history you can find in Livy.

List of kings over Italy since recorded history began.
===================================

1700 BC Janus
1674 Saturn/Kronos (comes to Italy after being expelled from Greece by
Jupiter)
1663 Jupiter/Zeus
1628 <Ogygian Deluge caused by Therra Eruption Mega Tsunami>
1613 Ianus/Ogyges (also rules Attica, northern Greece, Asia-Minor and
Armenia)
1605 Comerus Gallus
1591 Ochus
1579 Camese (aka. Chomasbelus, Ham or Belus son of Libya daughter of Epaphus
son of Jupiter/Zeus)
1574 Janus (aka. Javan, comes to Italy and also rules over northern Greece
and Balkans)
1554 Cranus Razeus
1529 Tagus Ormah
1519 Sicanus
1511 Enachi Tyrants
1503 Iupiter Iustus Olympicus/Osyris
1501 The Lestrigonians
1489 Hercules Oron/Libyus (son of Dodonim, king of Dodonia, successor of
Janus/Javan)
1482 Tuscus
1475 Alteus
1473 Hesperus (came from Greece and is deposed by his brother Italus
Atlanteus Kittim)
1471 Italus Atlanteus Kittim (probably son of Kittim, son of Javan, son of
Ianus)
1466 Morges
1461 Cambon Corythus (son of Blascon, son of Alteus)
1448 Iasius (husband of Cares/Demeter, killed in war with his brother
Dardanus)
1436 Corybantus

Kings of Tyrrhenia
=============

1424 Tyrrenus (migrates from Phrygia to Italy after long famine)
1411 Tharcon
1388 Abas
1373 Olanus
1352 Veibenus
1310 Oscus
1276 Tharcon
1230 Tiberinus
1200 Mezentius (defeated in battle by Aeneas)
1178 Tharcon
1158 Ocnus Blanor
1112 Pipinus
1060 Nicius Fesulanus
1013 Piseus
961 Thuscus
922 Amnus
897 Felsinus
854 Bon
826 Atreius
799 Marsias
781 Etalus
742 Coelius
721 Galerius Arbanus Lucomo
701 Lukius
676 Cibitus
635 Lucumo Clusius
577 Rhaetus
557 Hyellus
513 Porcena Clusius
455 Tolumnis Laertes

Kings of Roman/Latin line
==================

1455 Roma (daughter of Atlas Italus/Italus Atlanteus Kittim)
1432 Romanessus (founds Rome)
1392 Picus
1363 Faunus
1348 Annus
1322 Vulcan
1304 Marte (Mars)
1292 Saturn
1274 Picus
1254 Faunus
1210 Latinus
1178 Aeneas 3 (migrates to Italy after Tory is captured by the Achaeans)
1175 Ascanius 38
1137 Sylvius Posthumus 29
(1120 Sylvius Latinus 12)
1108 Aenaes Sylvius 31/30
1077 Latinus Sylvius 50
1027 Alba Sylvius 39/38
988 Aegyptus Sylvius 24/26
968 Capis Sylvius 28
936 Carpentus Sylvius 13
923 Tiberinus Sylvius 8
915 Agrippa Sylvius 41
874 Aremulus Sylvius 19
855 Aventinus Sylvius 37
818 Procas Sylvius 23/21
795 Amulius Sylvius 42/44
753-716 Romulus 37
716-715 <no king> 1
715 Numa Pompilius 43
672 Tullus Hostilius 32
640 Ancus Martius 24
616 Targuinius Priscus 38 (migrates to Italy from Corinth)
578 Servius Tullius 44/34
534-509 Tarquinius Superbus 25/35
509 L. Iunius Brutus (first Consul)

Descent of Aeneas
=============

1510 Scamander/Xanthus (probably Xanthus, son of Triopas son of Phorbas, son
of Argus, grandson of Phoroneus)
1474 Teucer (born in Crete)
1431 Dardanus (brother of Iasius, marries Battia daughter of Teucer)
1415 Erichthonius
1365 Tros
1329 Assarchus
1280 Capys
1240 Anchises
1181 Aeneas

Phorbas was probably ruler of the Dodonim or Dodonians if the Septuagint and Samaritan rendering of Dodonim as Rhodians is also correct since Phorbas conquered Rhodes in 1542 BC.

**wvwvw** · 08-31-2019, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by MinervaItalica

Originally settled in what is Tuscany today, the Etruscans were one of the most important civilizations in ancient Italy. The name Etrusci was given to the civilization by the Romans, and it was from this name that Tuscany’s name eventually derived.

The word Etruria came likely from the corruption of the Lydian name Tyrrhenia via Greek since there is a Greek ending which agree with "H" or "The (fem.)".

"Etruria" = "H Tyrrhenia"

Tyrrhenia was originally populated by Greeks as well. The Titanic Empire of Cronos reached all they way to Tyrrhenia in the north and Egypt in the east and the Pillars of Hercules in the west. The word Satur came from Crete.

The name Tuscany derives from Tuscus which is a variant of Tuiscon/Tuitshe the first king of the Germans. Now the ancient German historians claimed royal descend from Assur. (Asia Minor).

Lydia was where the Maonians lived, who were descended from the Phrygians, who were originally called Brygians and lived next to the Macedonians before they entered Asia-Minor. Brygus the king of Spain was their eponymous ancestor.

Maeones was also known as Mannus or Germanus and was the fouder of the Germans, being the son of Tuitshe (in modern German Deuche due to Grimm's Law) the son of Jannus the king of Italy in 1628 BC.

Prior to its occupation by the Phrygians (who separated from the Maeonians after the death of Tantalus and expulsion of Pelops which occurred in about 1430 BC according to Jerome,) Lydia was under the rule of Argive king Apis or Sarapis who ruled the entire coast of Asia Minor (and Egypt as Pharaoh Awoserre Apepi,) from about 1625 to 1605 BC and before him the entire world was ruled by Zeus the Cretan king Saasitepi (Zeus-Jupi[ter]) who was also the Egyptian Pharaoh Sheshi.

The material culture of the entire western coast of Anatolia is the same as that of Minoan Crete and the Peloponnese. So Lydia was Greek before tbe Ionians and Phrygians got there. The Lydian aristocracy were Greek including Croesus. The Lydian royal family was descended from Herakles and before that from Tantalus, both sons of Zeus. The Lydian people were Maeonians as were the Carians and Mysians. Hercule's name and religious cult is testified to in Assyrian records as is his presence in Caria and Lycia and thus Maeonia.

BTW Mannus (Germanus) son Herman is supposed to have established the kingdoms of Phrygia, Mysia and Bithynia in about 1565 BC. And Phrygia or Freya was the wife of Eingeb or Ingaevon the son of Mannus or Maeones in about 1557 BC.

The text source for the name Tuitshe originally comes from is pseudo-Berosus History of the Chaldanes c.300 BC. Other variants include Tuisto, Tuyscon the most ancient God of the Germans (Verstegan in "Restitution of Decayed Intelligence: in Antiquities," 1605, and Lynche "The Treavels of Noe into Europe" 1601,) Assur and Shem referring to Shemshi Adad or Adad Shemshi, hence Tuitshe (DuiD-ShMSh = TuiTSh) the eponymous ancestor of the Deutch and king of Assyria (1600 BC) from where the German royal line is supposed to have originated, though the orginal source of the historical account is more likely to the by History of the Phrygians since Tuitshe was supposed to be a king of Phrygia and the area around the mouth of the Danube from whence the Germans migrated to Germany, and Berosus Assyrian king list as actually a list of kings bearing Median names.

The Germanic races did not emerge until 1600 BC when Tuiscon (Tuitshe/Shem/Adad-Shamshi II) migrated from Assyria to Phrygia and ruled from there up to the river Danube Delta after the Thera Eruption Tsunami caused the Ogygian Deluge.

The name Tuitshe dates back to 1600 BC. Before Tuitshe ruled over the Deutch (name after him) there was no such word in any Indo-European language as "tut" meaning people. The only historically documented Indo-European words for people dating to before the middle ages are Demos, Laos, and Populus.

The full list of Phrygian kings is as follows.

1575 Maeones
1558 Laud
1540 Attis (Athus I)
1525 Typhon (expelled by Osyris and Herakles)
1515 Manes
1495 Tipheus (expelled by Herakles the Phoenician king Desinaus who rulled
in 1510 BC)
1485 Atys (Athus II)
1435 Lydus
1380 Tmolus
1360-1330 Tantalus

Parallel to it the German king list is as follows.

1596.75 Tuitshe or Tuisto (Adad-Semshi)
1574.75 Mannus or Mann (Maeones)
1556.75 Eingeb or Ingaevon (husband of Freya or Phrygia. His general Brigus
settled the Germans on the North Sea from the Danube to Dunkirk)
1547.75 Ausstaeb or Istaveon (the German Mars. Note the similarity of his
name to that of the Minoan king Saasitepi or Zeus-Jupi[ter] who ruled in
1650 BC. This would indicate that the Phrygians were originally Minoan
Greeks and worshiped Zeus.)
1535.25 Herman (founder of Phrygia)
1519.5 Mers (possibly the Phrygian king Marseyus)
1508 Gampar (contemporary with Herakles/Desinaus accoding to Lynche the
author of Travels)
1486 Schwab
1463 Wandler
1442.5 Deuto
1429 Alman (Allman or Altman)
1397 Baier
1367 Ingram or Ingramus
1315 Adalger (or Adelger)
1266 Larein
1215 Ylsing (or Ulsing) (This is Odysseus king of Ithaca)
1162 Brenner or Breno

**MinervaItalica** · 08-31-2019, 11:10 PM

I knew i would have triggered wvwvw...

**wvwvw** · 08-31-2019, 11:13 PM

* 1215 Ylsing (or Ulsing) (This is Odysseus Ulysses king of Ithaca)

Odysseus did not conquer any mighty Gothic tribes. The Goths weren't even in Germany. They came from the Balkans and that is what Odysseus ruled over and his father Laius before him who the Germans also state was their king. He probably conquered them at the time of the voyage of the Argo. This is the same Balkans that the Greeks had already conquered when they conquered Troy. All the Barbarians that came to assist Troy were resoundingly defeated.

**wvwvw** · 09-01-2019, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by MinervaItalica

According to popular mythology, when Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus it was done on the Palantine Hill according to Etruscan tradition. Unfortunately, when Rome was attacked by the Gauls in 390 BC much of its written records were destroyed so little is actually known about the city before that time.

Rome was founded, abandoned and refunded on several different occasions.

The last founders of Rome were Romulus and Remus. The first king of Rome was Rhomanessus the son of Roma the daughter of Atlas Italus, who founded the city in about 1438 BC. In between them there were around 50 kings who the Romans worshiped as demi-gods and built temples too for generation after generation. There was a line of successive kings of Rome dating back from its foundation by Rhomanessus the son of Roma, most of whom were named after the city.

1438 BC Rome founded by Rhomanessus the son of Roma.

c.1200 BC Rome founded/colonised Romus, the son of Emathion

c.1170 BC Rome founded/colonised by Romanus son of Odysseus and Circe

c.1150 BC Rome founded/colonised by Romulus the son of Aeneas and/or his daughter.

c.1120 BC Rome founded/colonised by Romanus the son of Hisicion.

c.923 BC Rome founded/colonised by Tiberinus the son of Carpentus after whom the Tiber which was previously called the Albula was named.

797 BC Aventinus the son of Romulus/Aremulus Silvius buried in Rome on the Aventine hill named after him.

753 BC Rome founded/colonised by Romulus the son of Rea Silvia the daughter of Numitor the brother of Amulius and son of Procas the son of Aventinus.