Santa Reparata International School of Art Academic Year 2017/2018, Fall 2017 Etruscan and Ancient Roman Civilizations

prof. Lorenzo Pubblici Ph.D. Midterm Study Guide 1.The Etruscans: 9th-5th BC • The Villanovan civilization: • Early , 9th-8th centuries BC, the Villanovan characterized all the Tyrrhenian , Emilia (particularly the area of and ), , and (see map. 1) • Between , , Emilia, and some areas of Campania and the Valley, the Villanovan settlements are thick: one every 5-15km, on every hill that could be well defended, near water sources, smaller settlements along the coasts and the Apennines mounts. Map. 1 • 9th : Villanovan settlements are well distributed in , homogenous from a material point of view. • Oldest mention of the Villanovan civilization is in , Teogonia (8-7th centuries BC): Tutti i popoli illustri della Tirrenia: all the non-Greek peoples of Italy . • Earlier inscriptions show an oriental alphabet, influenced by the . • A slow, progressive process of consolidation in the

What we know about the Villanovan and their relation to the Etruscans It’ very hard to name a “civilization”, an ethnic group, the Villanovans, since all we know from them is from archaeological findings, their material culture.

• We know that there were local spread in Italy, basically nomads between the (circa BC3500-1200) and the iron age (circa BC12th-8th centuries). • The earlier unions of peoples that we call Villanovan, arise in these centuries. Particularly along the Tuscan coasts, because they were very rich of iron and minerals, in fact the Villanova, such the early Etruscans, were merchant civilizations. • , in Tuscany, became a prominent center for , silver and iron trade, especially with Magna Grecia, in . • The Villanovans were strongly influenced by the peoples of the Apennines. • BC: huge expansion of trade, mainly to the Orient, new contacts are created and a Mediterranean commercial system develops.

The Early Etruscan settlements emerge around BC: tendency to abandon the plateaus and move to plains and hills because of two essential reasons: 1. exploitation of the agricultural and mineral resources, 2. proximity of the most important natural communication arteries: rivers, lakes, sea.

The Villanovan Society It was a fundamentally egalitarian society, with leaders but only in the later period.

• BC: growing social differences, birth of an aristocracy? Maybe. We don’t know it for sure.

• External influences increase: , , Siria, , . • 9-8th c. BC: this is called the Proto-Etruscan period. • The Etruscan people are a consequence of a continuity with the previous period. • The inhabitants of the villages are spread in groups on plateau easy to defend • The emergence of the is strictly tied to the Greek expansion in Southern Italy because that process led to the creation of an exchange market on the scale of the Italian Peninsula. The Etruscan took advantage of it and became skillful traders.

The Oriental Period Between the 8th-early 6th centuries BC:

• We see the import and imitation of objects coming from the Oriental basin of the Mediterranean.

• Late 7th century: the Etruscans are becoming a federation of peoples and cities, they will always be organized like that.

• A Common ethnic and cultural identity, common shared historical memory, common political aims, treaties, alliances, domination of the seas. These elements will forge the Etruscan identity. The Etruscans exist because of this process of identity building.

• Circa 700, the Etruscan acquire a writing system, probably imported by the Greeks of Euboea , it is a variant of the : found on the tabula (circa 670BC):

ΨΦΧΥΤΣΡϟϺΠΟΞΝΜΛΚΙΘΗΖϜΕΔΓΒΑ

ΑΒΓΔΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩ

Since the first half of the 7th century: • the Etruscans expand to the and to Campania, Latium and . • A confederation of city-states is created and new are conquered. • Cities like , Caiatia, Heba, , Feline, Forcello, Kaituna are founded, many of them are still important Italian cities. • The exchanges with the surrounding Italian/ Greek peoples are peaceful in this period and bring immense profits to both.

The Archaic period The apogee of the Etruscan power can be placed between 600-475BC

• Already since the , the enemies emerges • Circa 610-500BC: Etruscan kings achieve to the Roman throne, they will be three in total.

• The Etruscan king of , Porsenna, tried to conquer several times It won’t be successful, but the Etruscan cultural influence on Rome will be immense.

The end of the Etruscan kings’ rule on Rome marked a succession of wars in the South

• Rome wants to become free from external influences. • The Etruscan hegemony is menaced on the frontier • 535BC: an Etruscan-Carthaginian league wins the important battle of Alaia () , but the Etruscan expansion stopped by the end of the same century and started declining. 2. The importance of The Ancient World became a Roman World. The ideas, culture and customs of the Mediterranean were welded together into what we call Roman Civilization, so Rome was the connecting link between the Ancient and the Modern World.

In other words we may say that Rome was: 1. The highest point of the Ancient World 2. 2. The foundation of the Modern World

The phases of the Roman history We can see Rome from, at least, four points of view:

1. A great conquering nation 2. 2. A great governing nation 3. 3. A great civilizing nation 4. 4. A great developing nation We must, thus, study the Roman history through its military, institutions, civilization and economy.

The historical periods of the Roman history We can distinguish three main phases of the Roman history: 1. The kingdom: 753-509BC 2. The : 509-31BC 3. The Empire: 31BC-476AD Early Empire: 31BC-284AD Late Empire: 284-476 Western Empire: 395-476

Eastern Empire: 395-1453 Everything begun in the Italian Peninsula: The center of the Ancient World.

About the foundation of Rome The legend of , , Reha Silvia, and Remus 753 BC: Romulus founds Rome on the Romulus passed after 37 years of kingdom He was then venerated as a God with the name of .

The next kings • , a Sabine. Wise and Pious, died after 42 years of peaceful Reign. • , a Roman. Ruthless, against the Religious traditions, conquered the city of . • , a Sabine, grandson of Numa. A good king, recorded positively. • Fortified the hill and subjugated the .

The favorable situation of early Rome The 7 hills of Rome:

1. The geographic position 2. The Tiber 3. The distance to the sea 4. The prominence of the Palatine

The Neighbors North-West: Etruria , the land of the Etruscans. South: Latium, the land of the Latins North: Sabinia, the land of the .

The Early Romans The early Romans were Latins who lived on the Palatine hill Were called Ramnes. Their city was enclosed in walls ( Quadrata). The Sabini lived on the The Union between the two peoples and the cult of god . The Luceres on the Caelian hillThe Institutions of Early Rome

The Institutions of Early Rome FAMILY, headed by a pater familias, who had

1. Power of life and death over the members 2. Responsibility of the Sacred Fire 3. Responsibility of the Religious CustomsThe family was the smallest group, sacred to the Romans.

GENS A bunch of families, welded together by common ancestors and common religion The leader of the was called decurius. Performed the religious rites, led the people in war.

CURIA Was a very important institution, united by the worshipping of a same A bunch of gentes formed the The chief of the curia was the curius, magistrate in time of peace, commander in war. A council of elders, .

TRIBUS (Tribe) The biggest group, formed by a collection of curiae the chief of the tribe was the rex Religious priest, commander in chief of the army, civil magistrate Council of the elders, and general assembly.

3. From the later kings to the Republic

The Etruscan kings Tarquinius Priscus

✓ Drained the city, improved the forum, built a temple to on the

✓ Said to have been the son of a slave in the royal household ✓ Made Rome the leader of Latium

✓ Enclosed the seven hills within a single wall Tarquinius Superbus

✓ A cruel king, broke the treaty with the Latins and waged war against the Volscians

✓ Driven from the throne by a popular revolt

Kingly power The insignia of power Golden crown, ivory scepter, ivory chair, white robe with borders, the 12 The Aruspices Soothsayers, replaced in many cases, the Roman augures Public works The Etruscan influence The growth of the City

The Servian walls ✓ Was up to 32,8ft in height in places; 12ft wide at its base; 7 miles long ✓It is believed to have had 16 main gates ✓A new temple dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus, on the Capitoline hill was built.

✓Another to , near the forum , on the Aventine was erected.

✓The The sewers, under the forum ✓The The city grew

The reorganization of the Kingdom The Patricians

✓ Members of the old families

✓ Were the only ones that could vote in assemblies and chosen in the Senate

✓ Were the only ones that could serve in the army

✓ All other people were excluded from political rights and privileges

✓ The Early State was an Aristocratic State

The

✓ All other persons, had no share in the Government, no intermarriages

✓ People from cities conquered by Rome or refugees

✓ In time, wanted to be made equal with the Patricians

The first troubles Tarquinius Priscus was the first who tried the road towards equality Introduced in each of the tribes the wealthiest plebeian families

✓ Gentes minores (lesser people)

✓ Gentes maiores (greater people)

Servius Tullius made the next step, making the plebeians closer to the patricians

✓The plebeians were now the majority of the Roman population

✓Did not serve in the army ✓Did not pay taxes

The reformed constitution A new division, made upon the domicile

✓ 20 districts: 4 in the city (Tribus urbanae) and 16 in the countryside (Tribus rusticae)

✓All the people with a stable home (assidui) were enrolled in a tribe and subjected to:

✓ Military service

✓ Taxes (Tributum)

The reform of the army Servius Tullius reorganized the army: All persons who lived in the Roman and enrolled in the new tribes I. Cavalry () 18 centuries. II. Infantry (Pedites) 80 “ 1st class (40 iuniores, 40 seniores) 20 “ 2d class (10 iuniores, 10 seniores) 20 “ 3d class (10 iuniores, 10 seniores) 20 “ 4th class (10 iuniores, 10 seniores) 20 “ 5th class (10 iuniores, 10 seniores) Musicians, Carpenters, Substitutes 15 “ Total 193 centuries. The new Assemblies A new army - new mechanism to vote New Assembly: Comitia centuriata

✓ Born as a military assembly, soon became a political one

✓Did not meet in the forum, but in the field of ()

The league Rome started an aggressive foreign policy against the Latin cities Subjugated the most of them and created a , made of 30 cities The people of the Latin league could intermarry with the Romans Expansion and incorporation

4. The Early : 6-4th Centuries BC

The transition to the Republic The last king, Tarquinius Superbus, was the crucial element for the change The first struggle for liberty was a struggle against the kingship B.C. 510: Tarquinius, and his whole family, was expelled from Rome Brutus and Collatinus aroused the A law to banish Tarquin and his corrupt household was passed Brutus and Collatinus are elected rulers for one year

The attempts of Tarquin to restore the power Tarquin sent messengers to Rome for having his property back It was a plot against Brutus, whose two sons were involved A slave found out the treason and revealed it to Brutus Brutus made his sons to be condemned and executed

Tarquin appealed for help to the Etruscans The battle was decided by the god A peace was made and the Etruscan king Porsenna gave no further aid to the Tarquins The attempt of the Latins The legend of

Is the story reliable? We can infer that: The power of the kings was banished The transition was troubled and violent The importance of patriotism and personal virtue The trust in the gods and their importance for the collective identification Reliability of the legend

The new Republican Government The Consuls At first called praetores, elected by the people Their power was limited to one year They weren’t sole rulers; each was a restraint upon the other Their power was limited, since they could not exercise the power of life and death, with some exceptions... They retained the old insignia of the king They had no priestly power. It was given to a special officer () They had no financial power. It was given to two officers elected by the people (quaestores)

The Dictatorship A sort of temporary king Entire control of the city and the army Power of life and death over the citizens His power could be held for only six months

The New Senate Very important assembly made of 300 members Were called conscripti or patres conscripti It was an advisory organ The most important legislative body remained the Comitia Centuriata

The struggle for economic rights Rome became an aristocratic Republic as the Plebeians: could not sit in the Senate could not hold any office had suffered the most for the wars against the kings as they lived mainly outside the wall and were not defended had lost many of their properties. More than that, a new harsh law on debt was passed Debtors should be arrested if insolvent or made slave of his creditor A dog chasing its own tail, a vicious circle The first secession B.C.494: The plebeians rebel deserting the army A successful revolt. The plebeians obtained a lot: the debts were cancelled and none could be imprisoned anymore a new office was created: the of the plebs Two officer chosen from the plebeians Power of veto Their person was made inviolable Were aided by two other officers, the B.C.492: lex Icilia: A new assembly was created and was untouchable B.C.472: lex Publilia: The assembly was the only organ that could elect the