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The Etruscans were a wealthy civilization in central Italy before Rome rose. They built cities like Tarquinia and Veii, traded across the Mediterranean, and left elaborate tombs and art. Their language remains only partly understood.
Etruscan kings ruled early Rome, but Romans expelled them around 509 BCE. Etruscan power then declined as Rome and other rivals expanded. Their culture deeply influenced Roman religion, engineering, and symbols of authority.