Ancestors of Ancient Rome:
THE ETRUSCANS
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 hour
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday March 19 at 9.30am EST/ NZ
This program explores the history and legacy of Etruscan society. It suggests a very
strong influence on the early Ancient Roman world.
The material used comes from both archaeology and ancient texts. The texts
particularly are critiqued through the archaeology.
This would be useful for an introduction to archaeology. It would serve also as a very
good introduction to a case study of Etruscan society.
Denis Mootz
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note the description of the lifestyle of the Etruscans.
Why was their world doomed? Result?
Act 1.
Note the description of Etruscan engineering in Etruria. Result?
Why is there little evidence of the Etruscan hill-top cities?
Note the description of Rome’s power.
Note the impact of the Etruscans on Rome. Result?
What happened to Etruscan culture? Result?
Note what the Etruscans passed on to the Romans. Result?
Note the description of the ‘lost world’ of the Etruscans.
Note the origins of Etruscan culture.
How did the Bronze Age Etruscans survive? Result?
How did the Greek and Roman authors describe the Etruscans?
Note Greg Warden’s comments on origins of Etruscan culture.
How did the Etruscans become wealthy? Result?
Note the details of the town discovered by Giovannangelo Camporeale in 1980. Implications?
Note details of the archaeological finds in the town. Implications?
Why was this a ‘boom town’? Result?
Note the description of town life in early Etruria. Result?
Note details of the Etruscans’ technical skills. Result?
Which metal made Etruscan life possible? Why?
Note the description of Etruscan masters and slaves. Implications?
What can be learnt from Etruscan art?
Why did the Greeks criticise the Etruscans?
What can be learnt from Etruscan inscriptions?
What did the Greeks and Romans record about the Etruscans? Implications?
Why is our ‘picture’ of the Etruscans so poor?
What can be learnt from Etruscan tombs?
Note the excavations at Tarquinia. Result?
Act 2.
Note the frescos found at Tarquinia. Implications?
Note the necropolis at Cerveteri.
Why were the tomb walls decorated?
Note details of a ‘noble’ funeral.
Note Etruscan beliefs about life and death. Result?
Note the grave goods found in tombs.
Note details of the Etruscan gods.
Note the legend of Tages.
What is the Etrusca Disciplina? Implications?
How did the gods communicate with humans? Result?
How was the will of the gods communicated and read?
How did priests interpret thunder and lightning?
Note the means by which thunder and lightning were divined.
Why were the Etruscans called superstitious?
Why did the Romans employ Etruscan priests?
Note the role of sacrifice and entrails. Result?
Note details of the ‘model’ liver.
Note details of Etruscan temples.
Note the role of priests. Implications?
Note the discussion of human sacrifice.
Why did the Greeks fear the Etruscans?
Why were the Etruscans constantly at war?
Act 3.
Why were the Etruscans sought as trading partners? Result?
Why didn’t the Greeks take what they wanted?
What did the Etruscans want from Greece? Result?
Note the Etruscan desire from wine. Result?
Note details of the Etruscan port at Lattes. Implications? Result?
Note details of the recently discovered shipwreck.
How did the Etruscans deal with the threat of pirates? Result?
Why did the Greeks “belittle” the Etruscans?
Why are so many Greek vases found in Etruria?
What did the Etruscans learn from the Greeks? Result?
Note the impact of trade contacts on Etruscan art. Result?
What sports did the Etruscans play?
Note the more violent ‘sports’. Implications?
Note the use of chariots in Etruria.
Where did the Etruscans learn about banqueting?
Why were the Greeks and Romans “shocked” by Etruscan women?
Note details of the “family” life of the Etruscans. Implications?
What proof is there of sexual freedom in Etruria?
Note the contrast drawn with the women of Greece and Rome. Implications?
How do we know that Etruscan women were literate?
Note details of Seianti and her tomb. Implications?
What was the basic unit of Etruscan society? Evidence? Implications?
What happened to the Etruscans?
Act 4.
What was the traditional explanation of the end of Etruscan society?
Why was Rome established?
Who ruled Rome in its early days?
When did the Romans expel the Etruscans? Result?
In what sense was their demise a “self-fulfilling” prediction? Result?
Note the impact of Greeks and Gauls. Result?
How did the Romans overcome the Etruscans?
Note the war with Veii.
What advantage did the Romans have against the Etruscans? Result?
Why did Etruscan language and culture disappear?
What happened to the Etruscan people? Result?
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Etruscans: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_civilization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_society#Government
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrgi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_art
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_military_history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_cities
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Etruscan_Museum
http://web.archive.org/web/20020108013931/http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/3089/C
H/etruscan_army.htm
http://www.mysteriousetruscans.com/
http://history-world.org/etruscans.htm
http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/etrweb/etrmain.htm
http://www.etruskisch.de/imp/imp-e.htm
http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_civilisation_civilization/ancient_etruscans.htm
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/history/etruscans.htm
http://www.larth.it/index_eng.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070616191637.htm
Hill towns:
http://goitaly.about.com/od/umbria/tp/top_umbria.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civita_di_Bagnoregio
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/hilltowns.htm
http://www.initaly.com/regions/hilltowns/volterra.htm
Etruscan Tombs: http://www.mysteriousetruscans.com/tombs.html
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1158
Tarquinia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarquinia
Cerveteri: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caere
Seianti: http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2005/2005-01-03.html
Etruria Disciplina: http://www.crystalinks.com/etruscans.html
http://arxiv.org/ftp/physics/papers/0703/0703213.pdf
Etruscan Religion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruspices
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver_of_Piacenza
Tages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tages
Etruscans and Rome:
http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_civilisation_civilization/ancient_romans_etruscans.htm
http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_civilisation_civilization/ancient_etruscans.htm#
http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/birth/4/FC27
http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture10b.html
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.
2. Note details of the origins of the Etruscans.
3. Note details of the society and lifestyle of the Etruscans.
4. Note details of the trading and the economy of the Etruscans.
5. Note details of the government of the Etruscans.
6. Note details of the army of the Etruscans.
7. Note details of the mythology and religion of the Etruscans.
8. Note details of the architecture and engineering of the Etruscans.
9. Note details of the history of the Etruscans.
10. Note details of the contacts between Etruscans and other peoples.
11. Note details of the influence of Etruscans on early Rome.
12. Note details of our sources of evidence about the Etruscans.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1. Why were the Greek and Roman writers hostile to the Etruscans?
2. What elements of Greek and Roman culture appear to be ‘inherited’ from the Etruscans?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. What direct influence did the Etruscans have on the Romans?
2. What written sources do we have left by the Etruscans?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on Etruscan tombs.
2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that
The Etruscans are likely to have founded Rome.
3. Explain the role of augury and divination in the religion of the ancient world.