Etruscans, The

At the height of their achievement, between the eighth and fifth centuries B.C., the Etruscans of west-central Italy, enjoyed a civilization comparable to that of the Greeks or the Romans. But despite the Etruscans’ ready absorption of these cultures and more eastern influences, they attained a true and distinctive originality. Michael Grant takes account of the most recent advances in Etruscology—excavations and research have transformed our knowledge of the Etruscans—and he describes in detail the civilization’s economic, cultural, and social developments. He considers the controversial question of the Etruscans’ origins and underscores the very marked individualities of their powerful, often mutually hostile, city-states. These differences are reflected in their diverse artistic achievements, as illustrated. In addition, the author demonstrates that Etruscan expansionist activities to the north and south of Italy, whether aggressive or peaceful, were the work of specific Etruscan cities and individuals. With the aid of twenty-four maps, Grant also relates ways of life in different Etruscan cities to the features of their geographical settings. Having lived in Tuscany for several years, he brings to this study a special warmth and authority.