I just started reading this book, but it is really good. Easily readable. So, let's get started!
Introduction: Venice founded in March 25, 421 and 452 after Atilla the Hun over-ran the city. Western Roman Empire, WRE (economy) in decline. Eastern Roman Empire, ERE still going strong (until 700s.) And here comes Veneto onto the scene. Roman rulers ruled from Ravenna, near by. Roman Empire divided into two halves by Diocletian in late third century. Constantine I, first Christian Emperor, founds Constantinople (Istanbul) in 330 AD; capital of ERE. Romulus Augustus, 476 AD, last Roman Emperor in the WRE; conquered by Odoacer, a Gothic war lord. 488 Theodoric wanted to overthrow Odoacer. 493 Theodoric captures Ravenna and co-rule with Odoacer, but then assassinates him during a banquet to celebrate.
Chapter 1: Refugees on the Lagoon: The Origins of Venice
The lagoons were created from the run off from the Alps, sediment.
Sediment caused banks to be formed. Lidi or islands near the Adriatic. Canals were present.
Fun Fact: Ravenna was a port at this time and now it is inland due to the growth of the coast line due to sedimentation.
Main road between WRE and ERE was the Via Postumia, which went through this region.
Culturally, Veneto was a mix of Roman, Greek and Leventine elements
- Gothic Invasion - Rome sacked 410 AD
Foundation Stories: Padua sent 3 consuls to an island group to Rivoalto or "high bank", today's Rialto. And there was a winding canal, Grand Canal, to establish a trading post. (Trade is the foundation of the Venetian economy.)
Venice gets rich from salt trade. Up until medieval & Renaissance times. The Salt Office was an important office.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Monday, November 3, 2014
The Etruscans by Barker and Rasmussen - Dry But Good
After reading several books on Tuscany and Chianti, I took this book with me on my journey to India. Go to India, read about pre-Roman Italy or the Etruscans. Makes perfect sense! For me anyway.
The book is good, but dry. I am enjoying it. It took me a while to get into, but once I did, I don't want to put it down. The book goes into the history of the Italian peninsula on a grand scale, starting 50,000 years ago. We quickly move into the Etruscans. The book suggests the parallels to the Greek culture, no secret there and goes into great detail on the political, economic and social aspects the two groups. Furthermore, there is a reoccurring theme of archaeology versus histories. [Polybus, Livy, Pliny and Tacitus, written from 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD.]
The Greeks and Phoenicians established colonies in Italy in 700 BC. The Phoenicians established themselves in and traded with:
There are several theories as to where the Etruscans came from. I am going to go with the migration down over the Alps, from the northern part of Europe or indigenous people's locally who banded together over time.
Three major structural features of the Landscape are the Apennines, Pre-Apennines and Anti-Apennines are limestone hills running the length of central Italy. The eastern boundary is today's Autostrada between Florence and Rome. Over time, the Etruscans developed hill top villages as defensible locations to other groups. These groups were initial subsistence farmers growing cereal and grains to live. But over time started growing olives and grapes (for wine) additionally. They kept animals to feed themselves and for secondary products. Economically, the biggest reason for growth was the mineral resources available in the Tuscan/Chanti region. This spurred development of industry and trade.
The book is good, but dry. I am enjoying it. It took me a while to get into, but once I did, I don't want to put it down. The book goes into the history of the Italian peninsula on a grand scale, starting 50,000 years ago. We quickly move into the Etruscans. The book suggests the parallels to the Greek culture, no secret there and goes into great detail on the political, economic and social aspects the two groups. Furthermore, there is a reoccurring theme of archaeology versus histories. [Polybus, Livy, Pliny and Tacitus, written from 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD.]
The Greeks and Phoenicians established colonies in Italy in 700 BC. The Phoenicians established themselves in and traded with:
- North Coast of Africa
- Western Sicily
- Sardinia
- Southern Spain
- Southern Italy
- Eastern Sicily
- Corsica
- Southern France
- Eastern Spain
There are several theories as to where the Etruscans came from. I am going to go with the migration down over the Alps, from the northern part of Europe or indigenous people's locally who banded together over time.
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| Map of Etruria and it's People |
As time progressed and the Villanovan Age occurs, a fuedal-like, Chiefdom systems evolve. Over time, a prestige/ranking system develops, that is very elaborate in the Villanovan Era. Burial rituals are high lighted. Going from burial to cremation and ornate rituals.
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| Ages and Dates as Related to the Etruscans |
Much of what historians know come from the tombs of the Etruscans. Like the information on ranking on the various implements and ornaments buried with the cremated remains of the people. There are more male graves then female, but the female graves exist non the less.
Women enjoyed much freedom. Some were educated and could read. Hair styles were Greek inspired. They wore the forerunner of a toga. There were brooches or fibulas to hold mantles or tunics together. There was much ornamentation in the jewelry. The text does not state if women could own land as their Greek and later Roman counterparts could. (The information starts around p. 108 in the text.)
Alphabet - Again based on the Greek. There is a lively discussion about the change of the alphabet over time and how that helps designate Norhtern Etruscans from Southern Etruscans. (page 87-89)
Ok- This is a summary of the first 1/3 of the book/PD- Pick up with Chapter 4.
I'm back, but quickly... Lots more to say about this, but it's been a rough weekend - Cmon the Eagles even lost :(
Romaninization meant putting up walls, to keep the Romans out! Many of the cities in Eutria were not fortified until the Roman expansion: Roman Civil War, [Marius-lost] and Sulla's-won terror's [to those who opposed him] were cited. (But it really occurred earlier in the 2nd century BC when the Romans conquered Veii(396 BC), Volsinii (264 BC) and Falerii (241 BC).) The farms dried up at the same time. The book states 80% of the farms dried up in Falerii and 33% of the farms near Veii. Certain areas south of Rome did thrive though, along the trade/market routes (to Rome.) The book mentions some cities remained relatively untouched by the Roman invaders: Tarquinia. This could be because it was heavily involved in the trade routes?
What fascinates me is the evolution of the polis or the cities along the trade route and the fact the book mentions some of the farm areas that were abandoned during the Romanization period, were reclaimed during the middle ages. This leads the reader to believe, the Etruscans were a peaceful, or atleast more so, than the Romans. And it is fair to say, their independence and cultural development ended in the 2nd century BC after being swallowed up by the Romans.
Also, characteristic to Romanization, wealthy Etruscan families were offered Roman citizenship. In 89 BC, after the Civil War, the Etruscans were given citizenship and taken into the Roman tribes. Several wealthy families (farming) even made the transition to the Roman Villa life style. The Etruscan farms were in their hey day in the 2nd cent BC and some went into the Republic and Early Empire.
Note: Veii is 15 km from Rome, in other words, very close. Conquered by Rome in 396 BC.
Reference: In the Name of Rome by Goldsworthy & From Gracchi to Nero by Schullard.
I NEED MORE TIME TO READ :-)
Update: I just got Etruscan Civilization by Sybille Haynes in the mail!! Such a cool and more comprehensive book. I can add sections to this entry based on this book. Stay tuned. And the pictures are wonderful :)
Roman Roads: All Roads lead to Rome! But they were first Etruscan Roads used for trade between cities. The first Roman Road cited by the book is Via Amerina, layed out after the destruction of Falerii in 241 BC. Followed by Via Flaminia, 220 BC and Via Aurelia in the 2nd or 1st cent BC all used to move Roman troops around for the great expansion of the Republic. Diverticula - side roads - I found this funny, I don't know why...
Etruscan Influences on Roman Life
1. fasces - folding chair
2. Etruscan Alphabet - Latin alphabet was derived from Greek. (Latin official language of Rome.)
3. Etruscan Mantle - Roman Toga
4. Etruscan Burial Ash Urns - Roman burial & Imperial Sarcophagus with mythological embellishment
5. Public Sporting Events
6. Arch - Falerii cited
7. Aqueducts & rudimentary drainage systems
Women enjoyed much freedom. Some were educated and could read. Hair styles were Greek inspired. They wore the forerunner of a toga. There were brooches or fibulas to hold mantles or tunics together. There was much ornamentation in the jewelry. The text does not state if women could own land as their Greek and later Roman counterparts could. (The information starts around p. 108 in the text.)
Alphabet - Again based on the Greek. There is a lively discussion about the change of the alphabet over time and how that helps designate Norhtern Etruscans from Southern Etruscans. (page 87-89)
 |
| Etruscan Alphabet |
I'm back, but quickly... Lots more to say about this, but it's been a rough weekend - Cmon the Eagles even lost :(
Romaninization meant putting up walls, to keep the Romans out! Many of the cities in Eutria were not fortified until the Roman expansion: Roman Civil War, [Marius-lost] and Sulla's-won terror's [to those who opposed him] were cited. (But it really occurred earlier in the 2nd century BC when the Romans conquered Veii(396 BC), Volsinii (264 BC) and Falerii (241 BC).) The farms dried up at the same time. The book states 80% of the farms dried up in Falerii and 33% of the farms near Veii. Certain areas south of Rome did thrive though, along the trade/market routes (to Rome.) The book mentions some cities remained relatively untouched by the Roman invaders: Tarquinia. This could be because it was heavily involved in the trade routes?
What fascinates me is the evolution of the polis or the cities along the trade route and the fact the book mentions some of the farm areas that were abandoned during the Romanization period, were reclaimed during the middle ages. This leads the reader to believe, the Etruscans were a peaceful, or atleast more so, than the Romans. And it is fair to say, their independence and cultural development ended in the 2nd century BC after being swallowed up by the Romans.
Also, characteristic to Romanization, wealthy Etruscan families were offered Roman citizenship. In 89 BC, after the Civil War, the Etruscans were given citizenship and taken into the Roman tribes. Several wealthy families (farming) even made the transition to the Roman Villa life style. The Etruscan farms were in their hey day in the 2nd cent BC and some went into the Republic and Early Empire.
Note: Veii is 15 km from Rome, in other words, very close. Conquered by Rome in 396 BC.
Reference: In the Name of Rome by Goldsworthy & From Gracchi to Nero by Schullard.
I NEED MORE TIME TO READ :-)
Update: I just got Etruscan Civilization by Sybille Haynes in the mail!! Such a cool and more comprehensive book. I can add sections to this entry based on this book. Stay tuned. And the pictures are wonderful :)
Roman Roads: All Roads lead to Rome! But they were first Etruscan Roads used for trade between cities. The first Roman Road cited by the book is Via Amerina, layed out after the destruction of Falerii in 241 BC. Followed by Via Flaminia, 220 BC and Via Aurelia in the 2nd or 1st cent BC all used to move Roman troops around for the great expansion of the Republic. Diverticula - side roads - I found this funny, I don't know why...
Etruscan Influences on Roman Life
1. fasces - folding chair
2. Etruscan Alphabet - Latin alphabet was derived from Greek. (Latin official language of Rome.)
3. Etruscan Mantle - Roman Toga
4. Etruscan Burial Ash Urns - Roman burial & Imperial Sarcophagus with mythological embellishment
5. Public Sporting Events
6. Arch - Falerii cited
7. Aqueducts & rudimentary drainage systems