- chapter 20: Mothers and children –
The scene of Herakles nursing at the breast of Hera was known in Greek literature in
the myth of the origin of the Milky Way, created by the milk spurting out of the breast of
an angry Hera when she realized that Zeus had tricked her into nursing Herakles, hoping
thereby to have her adopt him. It is not, however, known in Greek mainland art. In fact
it occurs only on four Etruscan mirrors and a south Italian vase of the fourth century bc.
The scene of Hera nursing the hero refl ects an earlier belief in an amicable relationship
of Hera and Herakles, which would account for his theophoric name of “Glory of Hera.”
The adoption scene is carried out according to an Eastern ritual whereby the goddess
grants divinity or royalty to her favorite by nursing him at her breast (see Fig. 20.11).^63
LITERACY AND EDUCATIONAn intriguing aspect of the status of aristocratic Etruscan women from early times is their
literacy. Furthermore, from the time when writing was fi rst adopted in Italy, a series of
discoveries testifi es to a close connection between writing and women.^64 Writing is found
in the earliest wealthy tombs, most of which belong to women. Scholars have noted the
close relationship of texts to textiles, which were traditionally the province of women.^65
The letters or sigla appearing on loom weights and other wool-working implements
used by women are the objects of current study.^66 Also belonging to this context is an
interpretation of what seems to be the earliest Greek inscription, on an eighth-century bc
vase from Osteria dell’Osa; the word is read as EULIN, perhaps meaning “good spinner,”
and the object is seen as a container used to hold wool for spinning.^67
Much has been written about a later source for our knowledge of women’s literacy:
the bronze mirrors given to brides on their wedding day. Made in several Etruscan
cities and Etruscanized Praeneste from the fi fth to the third centuries bc, they
are often decorated with images from myths, or more rarely daily life, and are often
inscribed with the names of the characters. The images testify to women’s literacy
and to the Etruscans’ interest in and knowledge of Greek mythology and drama.^68
We know something about the education of the upper classes, but as usual we know
little about that of the lower classes.^69 The Etruscans’ technical ability in many fi elds, from
road building to chariot making, music and working terracotta and bronze, is clear from
what remains of their monuments, cities, sanctuaries and necropoleis. Their neighbors,
the Romans, knew and respected their knowledge of divination and communication
between the divine and human spheres. In the fourth century bc, Roman aristocrats
sent their sons to Caere to learn divination, as they later sent them to Athens to study
literature.^70 Laris Pulenas had himself represented on his sarcophagus holding the scroll
with his genealogy and titles: one of his ancestors was Creice, “the Greek”, and he wrote a
book on divination.^71 This would have been a path followed by many sons of the Etruscan
aristocracy, who would study the various books of rituals and divination, and eventually
become haruspices, highly skilled and respected at home and abroad.
CONCLUSIONThis chapter has attempted to make use of the available evidence to put together a plausible
picture of the situation of women and children in the world of the Etruscans. The loss
of Etruscan literature, the hostility of historical accounts, and generally the absence of
the textual evidence that allows us to feel more familiar with the reality and the ideals of