Those Darn Etruscans ... Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tuscany

The Etruscans were the first major civilization in this area, preceded by the Alpennini (1350-1150 BC) and Villanovan (1170-700 BC) cultures.

Answer: Western

The Etruscans eventually dominated the western coast of Italy. Their influence extended well past Rome and the Tiber River. Joining together in a confederation of twelve city-states (The League of Twelve Peoples), they eventually controlled so much of Italy that Cato said in the second century B.C. that nearly the whole of Italy was under Etruscan rule.

Answer: Lydia

Dionysius, a Greek historian, cited two theories on the origin of the Etruscans. He said they either came from Lydia, or were indigenous to Italy. Herodotus reported that they came from Lydia, and modern scholars tend to agree. Linguists have found similarities between the Lydian and Etruscan languages.

Answer: True

In 390 B.C. the Gauls took the city of Rome, and much of its previously written history was lost. Although some historians speak of an "Italic" founding of Rome, there are many ancient sources that emphasize the Etruscan/Roman connection. The Etruscans usually built settlements on a hill and surrounded them with a wall. Roman mythology focuses on the building of the city on the Palatine Hill, with Remus and Romulus working together at first to build a wall around the city.

Some sources even say that the name Rome itself is Etruscan in origin. Even though it is obvious that the ancient Romans were influenced by many people, it is the Etruscans who laid the foundations for the success and future grandeur of the city.

Answer: 509 B.C.

Early Roman historians claimed the Etruscans were expelled from Rome in 509 BC. However, in reality it appears that the Etruscans completed several building projects after that date. Perhaps the reason for this mix-up stemmed from that fact that the new masters of the city wanted to take credit for projects they really did not complete - the "Cloaca Maxima" or "Great Sewer", which was built to drain the site of the Roman Forum, and the "Capitoline Jupiter", a temple to honor Jupiter that was built on the Capitoline Hill.

Answer: Tarquin.

Many characteristics of Roman government were introduced by the Etrusans. An official called a "lictor" stood before the king with a "fasces", a bundle of rods bound together with an ax. This symbolized that the Tarquin had absolute power - even the power to behead his subjects.

The list of the seven legendary kings of Rome includes two leaders called Tarquins, Tarquinius Priscus and Tarquinius Superbus. According to legend, Tarquinius Superbus was the most repressive king Rome had ever known.

In 509 BC the monarchy was overthrown, and the Republic began. After that, Romans tended to look at rule by a king as suspect and undesirable. "Rex" (king) became the symbol of the type of rule to avoid.

Answer: polytheism.

Etruscans, like the Romans, were polytheistic and adopted their religious beliefs from several different places. Many of their beliefs were Indo-European in origin (remember they came from Lydia, which was in modern Turkey, and the site of the Indo-European Hittite civilization); Tin or Tinia was the sky god, Uni was his wife, and Cel was the earth goddess. Contact with the Greeks also brought the worship of the deities that would become Artemis, Minerva, and Bacchus.

Answer: True

Unfortunately, the Romans were not interested in the Etruscans, and their literary works were not translated or preserved. Short tomb inscriptions represent most of what is left of their writing. The Etruscans used a 27-letter alphabet based on the Greek alphabet, so it is fairly easy to translate.

Answer: Chariot racing

The Etruscans not only passed down chariot racing to the Romans, but there is also evidence that the gladiatorial games might have originated with them.

Answer: Iron

Although the Etruscans were not the earliest iron workers in Italy (the Villanovan culture was), their wealth was based on iron working. Rome, built on the Tiber River, had natural access to trade, and many people who did not know how to make iron came to Rome to acquire it.