The Etruscan Settlements in the Chianti Region



The marvellous Chianti landscape dotted with villas and farmhouses would have probably not been the same if, over 2,500 years ago, the ingenious and industrious Etruscan people had not transformed the area into an agricultural region. The Etruscans, who probably came from Asia Minor and settled in Tuscany, where they developed their prestigious civilization, were the first to introduce in the area the cultivation of the vine, which found an ideal habitat in the hilly region.

The Etruscan civilization reached its peak in the 5th century BC, when the mysterious people extended its influence beyond Etruria`s confines (that is, the region between the Arno and Tiber rivers) in Emilia-Romagna and in Campania. Many Chianti toponyms, including Nusenna, Starda and Vercenni, are clearly of Etruscan origin. The name Chianti itself could be of Etruscan origin: according to someone it derives from Clanis, the ancient name of the torrent Masellone; according to others it derives from Clante, the name of an Etruscan family.

The area is scattered with Etruscan items and archaeological sites, including the ruins of Cetamura (an Etruscan settlement close to Coltibuono), the Tumulus of Montecalvario, the Acropolis of Salingolpe and the Necropolis of Poggino. A visit to these lesser Etruscan sites could be the finishing touch to a holiday in the Chianti region between nature and food-and-wine discoveries.

The decline of the Etruscan civilization began around the 5th century BC, with the coming of the Gauls from North and the Roman conquests in Latium and in Tuscany. Not only did the Romans found Florentia and Saena Julia (Siena) in the 1st century BC; they also introduced the cultivation of the olive tree, which is another characteristic feature of the present Chianti landscape. Under the Roman domination and up to the coming of the Franks and of the Longobards (from the 5th century), the Chianti region experienced some centuries of peace and... daily work in the fields.

 

Our most requested villas for vacation rentals:
Villa Montespertoli Villa for holidays on the hills of the Florentine countryside. Accommodation for 12+2 people, garden, private swimming pool, hydro massage, Internet connection. More details
Villa Marco Villa for rent in the countryside of Chianti, near Florence. Accommodation for 8/12 people, private swimming pool, outdoor whirlpool bath for 7, Internet connection, children's playground, air conditioning. Golf club, riding stable and tennis club within a few kilometres. Possibility of organising dinners and cooking lessons. More details
Villa Botticelli Villa for vacation rental in Radda in Chianti, between Florence and Siena, in the Tuscan countryside. Accommodation for 10 people, garden, swimming pool, panoramic view, Internet connection. More details
Villa Siena Villa with swimming pool for rent near Siena for holidays in Tuscany. Villa with accommodation for 4/6 people, panoramic view on Siena. More details