The Mysterious Etruscans
Course Overview
Course No. 3421
Discover the fascinating civilization that shaped Roman culture and Western foundations through 24 illuminating lectures.
This course explores:
- The Etruscans’ pivotal role between Greek and Roman civilizations
- Their advanced cities, art, and religious practices
- How they influenced Roman architecture, government, and symbols
- The mysteries of their language and eventual assimilation
- Their lasting legacy in Western culture
Video Lectures
01: Between the Greeks and Romans (32 min)
Introduce this crucial cultural bridge between ancient Greece and Rome.
02: Lost Cities of Tuscany (31 min)
Explore urban planning through three key Etruscan city sites.
03: Who Founded Rome? (34 min)
Examine evidence that Rome began as an Etruscan city.
04: Etruscan Cities of the Dead (32 min)
Tour necropolises revealing Etruscan afterlife beliefs.
05: Etruscan Burial and Mourning (34 min)
Decode funeral rites through tomb paintings and artifacts.
06: Etruscan Afterlife (29 min)
Compare Etruscan underworld beliefs with Greek mythology.
07: Etruscan Gods and Goddesses (32 min)
Survey the pantheon and its relationship to Greek/Roman deities.
08: Divination: The Will of the Gods (32 min)
Study entrail reading, bird augury, and lightning interpretation.
09: Sanctuaries and Sacred Places (32 min)
Analyze temple placement and design versus Greek models.
10: Etruscan Myths, Legends, and Heroes (32 min)
Meet folk heroes like the Vipinas brothers.
11: Greek Myth in Etruscan Tombs (32 min)
See how Greek stories were adapted in funerary art.
12: Greek Myth in Etruscan Homes (32 min)
Examine domestic art featuring Homeric scenes.
13: Etruscan Language and Literature (32 min)
Decipher 13,000 surviving texts from contracts to mummy wrappings.
14: Etruscan Government (31 min)
Trace the shift from tyranny to proto-democracy.
15: Etruscan Warriors and Warfare (32 min)
Assess military strengths and strategic weaknesses.
16: Mediterranean Artisans and Merchants (31 min)
Map extensive trade networks through imported goods.
17: Bronze, Terra-Cotta, and Portraiture (31 min)
Appreciate metalworking and sculpture techniques.
18: Etruscan Sports and Spectacles (30 min)
Discover the origins of gladiatorial combat.
19: The Etruscan Banquet (31 min)
Reconstruct feasting customs from tomb art.
20: Etruscan Women (31 min)
Contrast their surprising equality with Greek/Roman gender roles.
21: Etruscan Families (32 min)
Examine domestic life through funerary evidence.
22: The Etruscan World Falls Apart (30 min)
Track their decline under Roman expansion.
23: Etruscan Legacy in the Roman World (31 min)
Identify enduring contributions to Roman infrastructure and culture.
24: Where Have the Etruscans Gone? (34 min)
Trace their Renaissance rediscovery and modern DNA research.

