The Etruscans were an ancient people who inhabited central Italy, founding cities primarily in the regions now known as Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria, during the Iron Age, between the 8th and 3rd centuries BCE. Etruscan civilization is known for its art, architecture, religion, and political system.
The exact origins of the Etruscans are still debated among scholars, but it appears they originated in the region around what is now Tuscany. The Etruscans were influenced by Mesopotamian, Greek, and Phoenician cultures, and later exerted considerable influence on Roman civilization.
Among the main characteristics of the Etruscans were their artistic abilities, such as metalworking and the production of finely decorated ceramics. Their language, Etruscan, has largely remained undecipherable to this day, and much knowledge about them comes from inscriptions on monuments and tombs.
The political system of the Etruscans was characterized by a confederation of city-states, with each city ruled by a king. However, by the end of the Etruscan period, many city-states were conquered by the Romans, and Etruscan culture was gradually assimilated into Roman civilization.
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