Podcast episodes, Tuscany

Episode #286: Unearthing Etruscan Tuscany – City States, Sacred Roads and Remarkable Women

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Take a journey far beyond the well-trodden paths of Roman history and into the enigmatic world of the Etruscans – the original Italians who shaped the hills of Tuscany long before Rome’s rise. Discover their influential legacy in art, agriculture, and architecture, the progressive roles of women in society, and the haunting beauty of their tombs. Uncover must-visit Etruscan sites like Volterra and the mysterious Via Cava, and learn how echoes of this ancient civilization still live on in modern Tuscan traditions.

Summary

In this episode, anthropologist Dr. Monique Skidmore shares expert insights into the fascinating world of the ancient Etruscans. Discover how this mysterious civilization shaped Tuscany long before the rise of Rome, with their unique traditions, progressive society, and lasting influence on Italian culture. From hauntingly beautiful tombs to remarkable hilltop towns, explore the sites and stories that bring Etruscan history vividly to life.

What you’ll learn in this episode

  • The Etruscans were an advanced civilization that predated the Romans and laid the cultural foundations for much of central Italy
  • Their society featured powerful city-states, a strong priestly class, and an economy based on trade, agriculture, mining, and shipbuilding
  • Religion was guided by two priestly roles: haruspices, who read omens from animal organs, and augurs, who interpreted signs from nature
  • Etruscan women had an unusually high status, owning property and participating in public life – rare in the ancient world
  • Their legacy endures in tombs, artifacts, and sites like the city of Volterra and the archaeological Città del Tufo, where visitors can explore sunken roads and ancient necropolises

Timeline Overview

  • 04:20 Discovering the Etruscans’ lasting legacy in Italy
  • 09:06 The mysterious Via Cava and Etruscan society
  • 11:34 Rituals, priests, and beliefs about the afterlife
  • 14:38 The powerful role of Etruscan women and artistic achievements
  • 19:03 Exploring Volterra and its Etruscan roots
  • 27:52 Walking the Città del Tufo archaeological park
  • 35:31 How Etruscan culture lives on in modern Tuscany and Rome

About our guest – Monique Skidmore from Take Me To Europe Tours

Monique Skidmore is an award-winning cultural anthropologist, travel writer, and the founder of Take Me To Europe Tours. With a career that bridges academia and immersive travel, Monique has conducted deep, on-the-ground research across the world and is especially known for her expertise in Myanmar and in Mediterranean archaeology. She speaks several languages and has spent years uncovering Europe’s hidden gems, ancient sites, and authentic cultural experiences.

Her work has taken her from the ruins of Ancient Greece to Italy’s Renaissance heart, and she has helped thousands of travelers discover the stories behind Europe’s most enchanting destinations and ancient civilizations. Monique’s research, writing and commentaries have earned her international recognition and features on major media outlets such as CNN, BBC, Time, and ABC. Whether leading tailored archaeology and history tours or sharing travel insights through her podcasts and articles, Monique combines scholarly expertise and a passion for authentic local experiences to inspire and inform every kind of adventure.

Follow Monique here

Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned

Places

  • Arno River – the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber
  • Tigris River – a river in Western Asia, flowing through Turkey, Syria, and Iraq 
  • Chimera of Arezzo – a bronze statue of a fire-breathing monster from 4th – 5th BCE
  • Volterra – city in Tuscany – the original Etruscan city used to be named Velathri
  • Etruscan Guarnacci Museum – in Volterra, one of the first public museums in Italy, founded in 1761. Houses Etruscan artefacts, including the bronze Shadow of the Evening
  • Porta all Arco – 2nd or 3rd BCE gate 
  • Pitigliano – town on the border of Tuscany and Lazio known as ‘La Piccolo Gerusalemme’ (Little Jerusalem)
  • Portone, Marmini – necropolises near Volterra
  • Grosetta – area in the center of Tuscany. Includes Sovana and Pitigliano
  • Città del Tufo – archaeological park with Etruscan tombs and Via Cava
  • Ildebranda Tomb – part of Città del Tufo
  • Tarquinia – the former Etruscan capital in Lazio
  • Domus Aurea – the golden house in Rome. Nero’s grand home, which has only recently been opened to the public with an excellent Virtual Reality experience
  • Baths of Caracalla – Rome’s second largest Roman public baths, first built in the early AD 200s and operated until the 530s. Virtual Reality headsets also available 
  • Gaius Cilnius Maecenas Museum – Arezzo Archaeological Museum, named after Gaius Cilnius Maecenas

Words / Concepts

  • Etruscan civilization – civilization of Italy, with the earliest evidence of a culture dating from around the 9th century BC
  • Via Cava – network of ancient roads carved into the rock in the Maremma region of Tuscany
  • Immanent Polytheism – 
  • Haruspices – Etruscan priests renowned for their ability to interpret divine will
  • Auguries – observed the flight patterns and calls of birds, as well as other natural phenomena like lightning, to discern divine will
  • stele – an Etruscan inscribed stone slab
  • Tanaquil – powerful Etruscan who became queen of Rome by marriage to Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth King of Rome
  • Plautia and Ergonilla – known women of Etruscan society 
  • Bucchero – Etruscan pottery
  • Tufa – a type of limestone formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate from water
  • Bravìo delle Botti di Montepulciano – barrel rolling festival in Montepulciano

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