Did Odysseus Found Rome?
The Mysterious Proto-Romans
Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,
I’ve deliberately not talked about it too directly…
But it’s been out a while now!
And if you’re reading these pages, I think it’s safe to assume you’ve probably seen Christopher Nolan’s recent adaptation of the Odyssey by now.
So, fair warning: I’m going to talk about the ending.
I have to admit, the closing sequence featuring Odysseus sailing off into exile in the west struck me as a little… confusing. It didn’t happen like that in Homer!
I honestly wondered if it was supposed to echo the story of Aeneas in some way, and his journey to found Rome. Which really doesn’t really quite fit…
But given the story Nolan’s telling, maybe there’s actually something to it.
After all, Nolan (rightfully or wrongly) presents Odysseus and his crew as the historical Sea Peoples, or at least their inspiration.
And, well, the ancient Greeks theorized that it was from the Sea Peoples that the Etruscans emerged.
The Etruscans were truly essential in the formation of the emerging Roman identity: influencing their culture, religion, and society. Yet they also held a distinct mysticism of their own that has managed to endure beyond the civilization itself.
So today’s article looks at this most crucial and mysterious of ancient societies.
They were the dominant power in the region before Rome, and their influence was strongly felt in the later Roman culture that still shapes the world today.
Indeed, it was only when the vivid culture of the Etruscans declined that the Romans were able to rise.
So I guess there’s a fitting ending after all…
An ending that is also a beginning.
All the best,
Sean Kelly
Managing Editor
Classical Wisdom
P.S. If you want to hear another interesting interpretation of the ending of the Odyssey, I’ve just posted a video of Stephen Fry discussing Homer’s original ending over on our YouTube channel. Be sure to like and subscribe our channel for more videos!
The Legacy of the Mysterious Etruscans
By Benjamin Welton
For hundreds of years they were the predominate power in Italy.
They bequeathed to the later Roman Republic not only its founding myth (the Greco-Etruscan house of Tarquin and the legendary kings of Rome), but also much in the way of religion and scholarship.
They left an indelible mark on Roman history, and therefore a mark on the entirety of Western civilization.
Yet, despite this legacy, their language and origins are still up for debate.
Nowadays, Etruria corresponds with the Italian states of Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. Its name comes from the Greek and Latin word for its inhabitants – the Etrusci, though they are known today as the Etruscans.
