Compare And Contrast The Etruscans As The Proto Romans

Etruscans are often viewed as the “proto-Romans”, but is it true? Well considering that the Etruscans were a rich society that favored the arts and trade. As well as being a civilization that made some ground breaking work in architectures, I would say calling them “proto-Romans” would not be that far off. Though with that said, considering how close they were in proximity to early Rome and how similar their art and architecture was to the Roman styles it might not be so much that they were “proto-Romans” but that they were new age Greeks, and were a heavy part of the Greek influences in the Roman culture. One can see the similarities of the architecture in a few key examples. The first of which is the Porta Augusta. This gateway could mistake for Roman due to its design but is actual Etruscan. Now the reason people would mistake it for Roman is the fact that it is commonly though of that the Romans invented the archway. The …show more content…
Though again, the Etruscans I feel share more with the Greeks then the actual Romans. The Etruscans built tombs for their dead in massive necropolises, or cities of the dead. Actual on reflection it seems almost Egyptian in origin. Since within the tombs there would be massive paintings of the afterlife as well as soft rendered replicas of everything they would need in the after life. They even constructed large decorative sarcophagus for the dead. Though oddly enough the Etruscans practice cremation so there was never a body placed within the large grave chests, or within the tombs from what I can recall. They also viewed life as a party, where marry-making and parties were held with all those that came to the realm of the dead before they did. The Romans had also adopted the practice of the Necropolises but taking a page from the Greeks there was no marry-making in death, it was all gloom and dread, which is reflected in later Etruscan