Nobody knows where the Etruscan people came from. Some people think that they originated from the Villanovan culture that swept the Italian peninsula in 700 BCE. Others argue that they came from Anatolia in the east, or from the Aegean Islands near Greece. All we know is that they spoke a type of Paleo-European language, practiced a polytheistic religion similar to Greek mythology, forged high-quality metals (particularly bronze), and traded with Phoenicians. Despite a lack of research and information, the Etruscans came to the attention of numerous scholars as they were revealed to have significant links to Rome’s birth and early development.
Rome started off as a small settlement in the late Iron Age, and it grew into a city by absorbing more settlers. The majority of early settlers were Greeks, Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans. Those settlers gathered into a city and were merged into one population group as the Romans. Rome was a multicultural nation from its beginning and among many settlers, the Etruscans were the most influential culture in establishing Rome. I believe it is to the end that Etruria was already a dominant powerhouse in the Italian peninsula and that Etruria regarded Rome as its vassal with an established hierarchy. Rome operated as one of Etruria’s main port cities, and by doing so it adopted many of the cultural and technological elements of the Etruscans. The Romans adopted Etruscan clothing, architecture, engineering, and more. I think the most important item that the Romans adopted from Etruria is the Etruscan alphabet, which is based on the Greek alphabet and Phoenician writing system. Although not completely relevant, I believe the Etruscan language had somewhat of an influence on Latin, with many Latin words originating from it. Rome eventually shed its infancy by absorbing Etruscan culture and Rome grew into the most prominent city in the Italian peninsula.
Rome established an elective monarchy within the city and expanded outward. Rome’s transition from monarchy to a republic in 509 BCE was one of the most important events in Roman history, and sure enough, the Etruscans played a major role in the demise of the Roman monarchy. In fact, the last three kings of the Roman monarchy were Etruscans. The reign of the Etruscan kings was turbulent and corrupt, and they did not hesitate to eliminate their rivals to seize the throne. During this period, Rome carried out increasing numbers of invasive campaigns outside its boundaries. I think the Etruscan kings wanted to please the Romans and validate their throne by showing off military prowess and the spoils of war. The last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, also sought expansion as a means to gain popularity among the Roman populace, but his military failures and the past tyranny of Etruscan kings had angered the Romans enough that they revolted against the monarchy and exiled Tarquinius from Rome. I believe the expulsion of foreign conquerors and transition from the Etruscan monarchy into the Roman Republic shows that Rome had outgrown Etruria and was no longer bound to Etruscan influence.
There is still much that we do not know about the Etruscans. They predated Rome by many years and became a cultural and technological forerunner on the Italian peninsula. The Etruscans played major role in Rome’s early development, and their legacy remained long after Rome conquered Etruria and united the peninsula within the Roman culture and the overall Roman Empire. I believe further study of the Etruscans will provide an enlightened understanding of the ancient history of Italy and unveil more information about the roots of Rome.