The territory

Etruria normally intends the area limited from the west of Tyrrhenian sea, to the north of the river Arno and the south of the river Tiber, from here spreading to the Apennines. In other words the soil distinguish a part of the north and southern, Italy divided by the river Flora, which ended at Tyrrhenian sea and from the Paglia a tributary of the Tiber.

In the Etruscan Age the two areas were very different, those in the north were alluvial fertile valleys, plains and hills rich with calcareous rocks and of sand in which grew towns like Chiusi, Cortona, Perugia and Fiesole. That of the south, where the ancient population developed, was a volcanic area characterised by mountains around which are situated lakes, of volcanic origins, with tufa rocks in peaks and high-plains. Deep valleys and ravines separated these, but forest and undergrowth covered a great part of the wild landscape. The towns such as Tarquinia, Vulci, Caere, and Veio, grew on the hills in the point in which the rivers and streams, with security of natural protection. Together the areas ended in an area defined Etruria, there are evident examples that the expansion of the Etruria on the Padana Plain, on the Adriatic coast and in Campania.

The coastal region was with out doubt unhealthy. There are many historical references for this like Plinio the young that admitted on the coast blew bad and miasmic air. The poet Rutilio Namaziano described the Etruscan coast between Graviscae and Cosa as a landscape of destruction and stench. The malaria represented a problem in this area in the early period of the Etruscan civilisation, especially because there was not any known remedies. It is probably that the Etruscans succeeded to drastically reduce its presence with hydraulic engineering works, in which they were experts (this is proven by the sewer and drain works carried out in Rome in the monarchical period). They knew how to promote the drainage works, other than clearing and reorganising the soil, developing sophisticated methods of construction, that is for public and private buildings.

In each case, the various groups had difficulty in communicating between themselves. Therefore the various towns assumed the character of town-state, largely independent, as happened to the early Greek towns, the polis.

Tuscany country landscape The Etruria was a great producer of cereals, to the point by representing in certain occasions Rome's granary. The wheat, soft and hard, farro, millet. The Etruscan wines were famous among the Greeks and Romans. They cultivated linen with which they made clothes, sails, and nets for hunting and fishing. They did not lack olives nor fruit trees. The tools did not lack for certain, seeing that the Etruscans were greatly supplied with metals and capable craftsmen: hoes, spades, billhooks, scythes, and ploughs.

The alleviation could be useful for the abundant pastures: cattle, swine, horses, sheep and even bees. A curious particular to be remembered that the Etruscans used to command herds of swine, using a sort of trumpet, the buccina. Also fishing was greatly developed as known from the town of Pyrgi, one of the principle points of supply also for the Roman merchants, because they intensely practised the tuna fishing.

The mining resources were the most important in the yet known civilised world. Relying overall on the deposits in the Elba Island. Here the extraction of iron was previous to that of copper. The materials were transported to Populonia, on the coastal front of Elba, what was a great foundry; elsewhere was located the forges of which the most important was at Pozzuoli in Campania.