LuckyStar wrote:Well, I dont think you guys understand my question lol. I dont want to know where the etruscans came from. I wanna know where the ROMANS came from. Who were their ancestors?
This is quite a question, you know?
According to archeological evidences the zone where Rome was finally built around the VIII century BC was actually a meeting point between Latins, Sabins and Etruscans. The famous "seven hills" counted more then one smaller village centuries before Rome was actually build. As Rome assumed the shape of a real city it became immediately a center for commerce because of it's position right in the center of Italy, close both to Etruscans and to "Magna Grecia", over a river witch provided both defence and an easy way of communication.
So Romans where, much probably an union between those three cultures. It was, probably, considerate an Etruscan city by Etruscans, even if the Roman language was very different from Etruscan one. But if you go to Cecina, Volterra, Tarquinia or Cerveteri and look at Etruscan ruins you could be quite surprise to see how "Roman" they look like. Both in architecture and in paintings.
I'm not entirely sure if it is really correct to say that Rome destroyed the Etruscans, it is probably more right to say there was a merge, instead. The ancient Romans where with any evidence, partially Etruscan themselves!