ETRURIA, the name anciently given to that part of Italy which corresponded partly with the modern Tuscany, and was bounded by the Mediterranean, the Apennines, the river Magra, and the Tiber. The name of Tusci or Etrusci was used by the Romans to designate the race of people anciently inhabiting it, but the name by which they called them selves was Rasena. These Rasena en tered Italy at a very early period from the N. Etruria proper was in a flourish ing condition before the foundation of Rome 753 B. C. It was known very early as a confederation of 12 great cities, each of which formed a republic of itself. Among the chief were Veii, Clusium, Vol sinnii, Arretium, Cortona, Falerii, and Fmsulae. The chiefs of these republics were styled lucumones, and united the offices of priest and general. They were elected for life. After a long struggle with Rome the Etruscan power was com pletely broken by the Romans in a series of victories, from the fall of Veii in 396 B. C. to the battle at the Vadimonian Lake (283 B. c.).
The Etruscans had attained a high state of civilization. They carried on a flourishing commerce, and at one time were powerful at sea. They were less warlike than most of the nations around them, and had the custom of hiring mer cenaries for their armies. Of the Etrus can language little is known, though more than 3,000 inscriptions have been preserved. It was written in characters essentially the same as the ancient Greek. The Etruscans were specially distin guished by their religious institutions and ceremonies. Their gods were of two
orders, the first nameless, mysteriou9 deities, exercising a controlling influence in the background on the lower order of gods, who manage the affairs of the world. At the head of these is a deity resembling the Roman Jupiter (in Etrus can Tinia). But it is characteristic of the Etruscan religion that there is also a Vejovis or evil Jupiter. The Etruscan name of Venus was Turan, of Vulcan Sethlaus, of Bacchus Phuphlans, of Mer cury Turms.
Etruscan art was in the main bor rowed from Greece. For articles in terra cotta, a material which they used mainly for ornamental tiles, sarcophagi, and statues, the Etruscans were especially celebrated. In the manufacture of pot tery, they had made great advances; but the most of the painted vases popularly known as Etruscan are undoubtedly pro ductions of Greek workmen. The skill i of the Etruscans in works of metal is at tested by ancient writers, and also by numerous extant specimens, such as necklaces, ear-rings, bracelets, etc. The Etruscans showed great constructive and engineering skill. They were acquainted with the principle of the arch, and the massive ruins of the walls of their an cient cities still testify to the solidity of their constructions. Various arts and inventions were derived by the Romans from the Etruscans.