[Connor Lynch]

Does anyone know what an Etruscan warrior may have looked like? If anyone has a picture i looked couldnt find anything.

[Nathan Robinson]

I have moved this topic to the Off-topic Talk forum.

Please note the description for this forum:

"Discussions of general history and other miscellaneous topics relating to arms and armour that do not specifically fit our other forums"

Thank you.

[T Franks]

Hey Connor, check out a book called Hannibal and the Enemies of Rome by Peter Connoly. They had it at my local library and it is a excellant resource to have. Not only does it provide illustrations of these warriors, but it also shows the actual archeological evidence of weapons and helmets to show you the real deal. It's not just about Hannibal and the Celts either; It shows arms and equipment of the Etruscans, Samnites, hill peoples, you name it. The general history in this book is pretty basic and brief but it is a great visual guide and reference for arms and equipment. Also, If you check the "show us your helms thread" Matthew Amt has a neat example of a Villanovan helmet & cuirass.

[Connor Lynch]

Yeah ive been looking at that thread alot. The Villanovans were before the Etruscans soon Etruscans became Romans.

[T Franks]

Here are some pages that might help. The first two pages are on the Etruscans. Sorry the helmet kinda gets cut off there in the bottom right corner, but there is an illustrated one on the opposite left.

Etruscan page 1
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b379/Brennos/etruscan1.jpg
Etruscan page 2
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b379/Brennos/etruscan2.jpg


Than here are some later Etruscans

Later Etruscan page 1
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b379/Brennos/lateetruscans1.jpg
Later Etruscan page 2
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b379/Brennos/lateetruscans2.jpg

[Dan Howard]

As can be seen from the illustrations, Italian warfare was heavily influenced by the Greeks, who had colonised southern Italy. Until the emergence of Rome and the Camillan reforms in the 4th century BC, Italians fought in phalanxes with Greek-style panoplies.

[Connor Lynch]

Yea i was about to say why the armour was more Greek looking. Also i see later Etruscans starting to wear Montefortinos.

[Matthew Amt]

Avete!

Yes, Peter Connolly's books are excellent for this sort of thing, overall. "Greece and Rome at War" is a good basic to have in any case. There is also an Osprey on Early Roman Armies which is quite good.

Here's a photo by Dan Z. of me in my Villanovan kit:

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l126/cnaeus...mulus3.jpg

(Thanks Mr. Franks!) The helmet is often called "Etruscan" but is actually a Villanovan style. The "poncho" cuirass is copied from the original on display in the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia.

The Villanovans were the actual people who became the Romans. The Etruscans arose about the same time, but are a separate ethnic group. They ruled Rome for about a century but were tossed out about 510 BC and were eventually conquered by the Romans. At their earliest point, Etruscan arms and armor would have been similar to that of the Villanovans and other Italian groups. At their height, the wealthiest men were equipped basically as Greek hoplites, backed up by ranks of men with more local gear, hence the pectoral plates, Montefortino and other Italian helmets, oval or oblong shields, etc.

Oh, if you do a Google image search on "Etruscan Warrior" you'll find some good stuff, including a couple figurines, frescoes, and some reconstructions.

Have fun!

Matthew

[Connor Lynch]

Yea i never new Villanovans soon became Romans. I thought they soon became Etruscans but that cant be since Romans had wars with Etruscans

[Lafayette C Curtis]

How good is the information about the Samnites here, I wonder? Might have some relevance for Etruria too.

http://www.sanniti.info/smweap01.html

[Connor Ruebusch]

Weren't the Romans Etrurian people? I do think the people of Rome revolted against their local Etrurian king (Etruria at this time being much like Greece, a collection of allied city states) under the leadership of some fellow named Brutus. And they then started the republic, right? And didn't the Etruscans themselves (and by proxy the Romans) descend from the Villanovans? I'm pretty sure that's the way of it...

{EDIT: I just now read Matthew's post in full, and it certainly explains the different ethnic identities of the Villanovans and Etruscans in full! So please disregard that last paragraph--I mistook Etruscan influence on Rome for genetic descent. Heheh...}

Also, how effective were those little "poncho" style breastplates, and the small disc ones? They seem to offer comparatively little protection to the torso as a whole. Although they do look cool. Any word on why the Etruscans didn't develop a more complete cuirass?

Connor

[Dan Howard]

[Matthew Amt]