The
Etruscan language was spoken and written by the
Etruscan civilization in the ancient region of
Etruria (modern
Tuscany plus western
Umbria and northern
Latium) and in parts of
Lombardy,
Veneto, and
Emilia-Romagna (where the Etruscans were displaced by
Gauls), in
Italy. However,
Latin superseded Etruscan completely, leaving only a few documents and a few
loanwords in
Latin e.g.,
persona from Etruscan
fersu, and some place-names, such as
Roma.
Etruscan literacy was widespread over the Mediterranean shores, as can be seen by about 13,000 inscriptions (dedications, epitaphs etc), most fairly short, but some of some length.[1] They date from about 700 BC.[2]
The Etruscans had a rich literature, as noted by Latin authors. Unfortunately only one book (now unreadable) has survived, although there is always some possibility that more will turn up. By AD 100, Etruscan had been replaced by Latin.
Only a few educated Romans with antiquarian interests, such as Varro, could read Etruscan. The last person known to have been able to read it was the Roman emperor Claudius (10 BC – AD 54), who — in the context of his work in twenty books about the Etruscans, Tyrrenikà (now lost) — compiled a dictionary (also lost) by interviewing the last few elderly rustics who still spoke the language. Urgulanilla, his first wife, was Etruscan.[3]
