Etruria

views updated May 23 2018

Etruria an ancient state of western Italy, situated between the Rivers Arno and Tiber and corresponding approximately to modern Tuscany and parts of Umbria. It was the centre of the Etruscan civilization, which was at its height c.500 bc and was an important influence on the Romans, who had subdued the Etruscans by the end of the 3rd century bc.
Etruscan, the language of ancient Etruria, was written in an alphabet derived from Greek but is not related to any known language.