A crime show ad abruptly shifts to reveal the mysterious Etruscans who lived in ancient Italy.
The episode begins with an advertisement for a crime show before transitioning to the historical topic of the Etruscans. It states the Etruscans lived in what is now Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, with their culture traceable from 800 BC to the 1st century BC. Their self-designation was possibly Rasenna, as reported by the Greek historian Dionysios of Halikarnassos. After Roman conquest starting around 390 BC, they were largely absorbed into Roman culture. The study of their history is called Etruscology. Around 1000 BC, a sedentary farming culture developed in the western Mediterranean, influenced by Phoenician sailors, Italic Indo-Europeans, and Anatolian Tyrenians, leading to the Villanova culture and eventually Etruscan culture. The oldest grave finds date to the 9th century BC, showing cremation practices. By the 8th century, inhumation in trench graves began. Around 750 BC, they established maritime dominance in the Tyrrhenian Sea. At their peak around 600 BC, they controlled the western Mediterranean with Carthaginian allies, expanding south to Campania and north to the Po Valley. Etruscan cities were loosely federated in a religious league of twelve cities, with a religious center at Fanum Voltumnae. There was no centralized state. Early Roman kings were of Etruscan descent, and Etruscan influences included purple tunics, fasces, and augury. Women held high status. Important cities included Populonia for iron, Tarquinia for bronze, and Cerveteri for metals. Northern cities like Volterra focused on metalworking and pottery. Etruscan art was heavily influenced by Greek art. From the 7th century, they expanded north across the Apennines. Between 550-520 BC, Etruscanization intensified. In 535 BC, they and Carthage defeated Greek settlers at Alalia. In 396 BC, Veii was conquered by Rome. Gallic invasions weakened them further. By 265 BC, southern Etruria was conquered by Rome, with northern cities forming alliances. Full Roman citizenship in 90 BC completed assimilation. Cultural traits faded slowly, with figures like Maecenas maintaining Etruscan heritage. Emperor Claudius wrote a history of the Etruscans. Etruscan culture paralleled Greek culture, with orientalizing art (800-650 BC), archaic art (650-500 BC), a flourishing period (500-300 BC), and a late Hellenistic phase (300-100 BC). Most artifacts come from necropolises like Cerveteri. Temples are common finds, with recent studies of secular buildings. Major museums include Villa Giulia in Rome and Florence's Archaeological Museum. Bucchero pottery was a key export. Religion was a revealed faith, with the disciplina Etrusca covering divination. Writing used an early Greek alphabet, right-to-left, with few long texts like the Zagreb mummy wrappings. About 150 words are known, and language relations are unclear. A bust in the Louvre shows anatomical knowledge, purchased in 2011. Exhibitions in 2017-2018 featured Etruscan culture. The episode ends with ads for other content.
