The Etruscans
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Etruscan economy and culture
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The Etruscan economy was based on agriculture supplemented by hunting, but the extraction of metals, copper and iron, were also very important. Their understanding of farming was excellent and they had some of the highest crop yields of the ancient period. The Etruscans were skilled at land-reclamation. They also specialized in the extraction of minerals - the region had extensive reserves of copper, lead, tin and iron. It is estimated that the annual production of iron of the region was between 10,000 and 12,000 tons. This output was maintained for over four centuries. They built good roads and traded by sea with Greece, the Levant and Egypt. The Etruscan aristocracy became very wealthy as the extent of their imports from Greece testifies. The Etruscans had serfs and slaves, but very little is known about them. The Etruscans lived primarily in cities. However, the emergent city-states were separated from each other by geological barriers such as mountains, and Etruria did not evolve into a single state. The cities were linked together as a League of Twelve Cities with a common sanctuary at Fannum Voltumnae near Volsinii, though this site has not been identified as yet. However, this was a religious union rather than a political one, and generally the Etruscan cities remained independent of each other. Their chief god was Voltumna. Rituals and cult games were celebrated at this place. The exact composition of the twelve cities of the League is not known. The cities may be divided into southern and northern groups. The southern group included the cities of Tarquinia, Caere, Vulci, Volsinii and Veii. The northern group included Cortona, Rusellae, Arezzo, Chiusi and Perusia. Mining cities were established on the east coast at Populonia and Vetulonia. The territory of Tarquinia has been estimated to be about 500 square miles; the population of Caere was about 25,000.
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Contents of
The Etruscans
1 The Villanovan culture
2 The origin of the Etruscans
3 Etruscan economy and culture
4 Etruscan cities
5 Etruscan art and philosophy
6 Etruscan haruspicy
7 Greek colonization in Italy
8 Foundation of Cumae
9 International relations of Etruria
10 Internal politics of Etruscan cities
11 Etruscan monarchy in Rome
12 Rome and the Etruscans
13 The effect of Etruscan rule on Rome
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