Notes pt 1 (etruscans)

Etruscans

came from north-central part of the peninsula

metalworkers, artists, architects

two foundation myths:

Virgil’s Aeneid (where Aeneas escapes from Troy - sound familiar?)

the story of Remus and Romulus

Greeks

they had many colonies around the Mediterranean Sea

Romans borrowed ideas from them, such as:

religious beliefs

alphabet

much of their art

military techniques and weaponry

the Latins!

descendants of Indo-Europeans

settled on the banks of the Tiber

situated so trading ships - but not war fleets - could navigate as far as Rome, but no further

a commercial port, but not susceptible to attack

and... built on seven hills (esp. Palatine)

many streams flowed into the Tiber

there was a marshy area called the Forum,  between Palatine and Capitoline Hills

Tarquin the Proud’s grandfather built the Cloaca Maxima (largest ancient drain), which channeled water into the Tiber

urban legend says Washington DC was built on a swamp - but only about 2% was actually swampland - however, Constitution Avenue is located on what used to be called Tiber Creek

Lucius Tarquinias Superbus

the seventh and final king of Rome

known as Tarquin the Proud (sometimes referred to as Tarquin the Arrogant)

a true tyrant, in the old and modern sense of the word

Tarquin seized power like an old school tyrant (see if you can follow this horrible story...)