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Much earlier than the foundation of Rome (B.C. 753) there flourished in that part of Middle Italy today called Tuscany the highly civilized people known by the name of Etruscans or Toschi. Their political organization had the form of a confederation of twelve principal cities,103 the federal capital being Tarquinii. The Etruscan people were industrious, intelligent, and artistic in the highest degree, possessing special skill in the decorative arts, splendid monuments, some of which still remain to us; they were fond of luxury in all its manifestations, and took great care of their persons; at the same time, however, they were a laborious and courageous race, not only most active and enterprising in agriculture, in art and commerce, but also brave warriors and hardy navigators.

In their long sea voyages the Etruscans frequently visited Egypt and Phœnicia, trading especially in the more flourishing cities, which were at that time Memphis in Egypt, and Tyre and Sidon in Phœnicia. On the other hand, the Phœnicians, who were also active merchants and navigators, not only visited Etruria and other regions of Italy very frequently, but also established numerous colonies in many islands of the Mediterranean, and especially in those nearer to Italy.

This continual intercourse between Etruscans, on the one side, and Egyptians and Phœnicians, on the other, accounts for the great influence exercised by the Egyptian and Phœnician civilization upon the later developed Etruscan culture—an influence manifesting itself very distinctly in the works of art of the latter, which often have an altogether Oriental character, and not seldom represent scenes drawn from the domestic life of the Egyptians and Phœnicians.104

Fig. 10