Abantu Base-Etruria—Imfihlakalo Eqhubekayo

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EFRANCE

“I-Etruria yayinethonya kangangokuba igama layo laduma emhlabeni wonke.”—ULivy, Isazi-Mlando Sekhulu Lokuqala.

LAPHO kuziwa endabeni yabantu base-Etruria, ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi awazi lutho ngabo. Nokho, uma ulimi olukhulumayo lusebenzisa izinhlamvu zesiLatini, uye wazuza kubantu base-Etruria ungaqaphele. Ukube abazange babe khona abantu base-Etruria, ulimi lwesiLatini lwaluyoqala ngo-a, b, g (njengo-alpha, u-beta no-gamma wesiGreki noma u-aleph, u-beth, no-gimel wesiHeberu). Nokho, nakuba izazi zokwakheka kwezilimi zazi ukuthi izinhlamvu zesi-Etruscan zaziqala ngo-a, b, c, kusenzima ukuluqonda lolu limi. Futhi lena iyona mfumbe olimini lwesi-Etruscan.

Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka izazi-mlando ziye zacabanga ngomsuka walempucuko ephawuleka kangaka. Esikhathini sabo sokuvelela ngekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E., abantu base-Etruria bakha inhlanganisela yamadolobha ezohwebo angu-12 akude eYurophu naseNyakatho Afrika. Nokho, emakhulwini eminyaka amane nje kamuva, banqotshwa ngokuphelele iRoma enamandla. Kodwa yini esiyaziyo ngabantu base-Etruria, futhi kungani lemfihlakalo iqhubeka?

Imisuka Eyimfihlakalo

Sekuyisikhathi eside izazi-mlando, abavubukuli, nezazi zezilimi zifuna ukwazi umsuka wabantu base-Etruria. Ingabe babesuka eLydia, okuyisifunda sase-Asia Minor, njengoba kusikisela uHerodotus, noma babengabokudabuka e-Italy, njengoba uDionysius waseHalicarnassus asho ekhulwini lokuqala B.C.E.? Ingabe kungenzeka ukuthi babesuka ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithini impendulo, ukwehluka ngokobuzwe namasiko okwakukhona phakathi kwawo nezizwe ezingomakhelwane kwakukukhulu kangangokuba manje ngeke sisaqiniseka ngesiqalo sawo.

Nokho, siyazi ukuthi kusukela ngekhulu lesi-8 B.C.E., abantu base-Etruria banda kulo lonke elase-Italy ephakathi. AmaRoma ayebabiza ngokuthi ama-Tusci, noma ama-Etrusci, futhi indawo ababehlala kuyo ephakathi koMfula i-Arno osenyakatho noMfula iTiber oseningizimu, yayaziwa ngokuthi iTuscany. Esikhathini esithile impucuko yabantu base-Etruria yayibusa izizwe zase-Italy ezingu-50.

Nakuba ulimi lwesi-Etruscan ngokuyisisekelo lusebenzisa uhlobo lokuqala lwezinhlamvu zesiGreki, okwenza kubonakale kulula ukulufunda, empeleni luhluke kakhulu kunoma iluphi olunye ulimi olwaziwayo. Amagama amaningi ayesetshenziswa abantu base-Etruria ekukhulumeni awahumusheki. Kodwa, ayenezincwadi eziningi, njengoba izincwadi zazifeza indima ebalulekile emasikweni abo, ikakhulukazi ezindabeni eziphathelene nenkolo. Nakuba namuhla kunezinkulungwane zezibonelo zemibhalo yabantu base-Etruria—ematsheni amathuna, emavazini, nasemabhokisini e-alabaster—kubhalwe okuncane kakhulu kukho, ngakho akusizi kangako ekuchazeni umsuka nezincazelo zamagama esi-Etruscan.

Indlela Ababephila Futhi Bachume Ngayo

Isizwe sabantu base-Etruria sasihlelwe saba imibuso yamadolobha azibusayo, ekuqaleni eyayibuswa amakhosi futhi kamuva yabuswa izimantshi. Lamadolobha ahlangana aba inhlanganisela yase-Etruria, inhlangano engabuswa imithetho eqinile engokwenkolo, ezomnotho, nezombangazwe. Ezinye izindlu zabantu base-Etruria zazinamanzi futhi zakhiwe eduze nemigwaqo egandayiwe, enezindawo zokuchitha indle. Isimiso sokudonsa amanzi emhlabathini sasisetshenziswa kabanzi. Amakhosi ase-Etruria ayishintsha iRoma ekubeni iqoqo lemizana yaba idolobha elihle, elibiyelwe ngezindonga nelinoxhaxha lwezindawo zokuchitha indle, ezihlanganisa ne-Cloaca Maxima, esekhona nanamuhla.

Abantu base-Etruria bachuma ngenxa yezindawo ababezilawula ezazinothé ngezinsalela zokusansimbi, njengezimayini zensimbi ezisesiqhingini esiseduze sase-Elba. Ukuze abantu base-Etruria banelise isidingo sabo sokusansimbi, babekhiqiza insimbi, isiliva, nethusi—baze ngisho balanda nethini (tin) eziQhingini zaseBrithani. Ngaphandle kwalomcebo, izwe ababehlala kulo lalivundile likulungele ukulinywa nokuba amadlelo, likhiqiza okusanhlamvu, iminqumo, amagilebhisi kanye namahlathi. Lemikhiqizo engokwemvelo nokwabelana ngaphakathi kanye namazwe aphesheya kwabachumisa kakhulu abantu base-Etruria ngokomnotho.

Abantu base-Etruria babengamatilosi asezingeni eliphakeme kakhulu. Ngo-540 B.C.E., inhlanganisela yemikhumbi yase-Etruria naseCarthage yanqoba amaGreki, ngaleyo ndlela ukuhwebelana kwe-Etruria namazwe angaphesheya kwezilwandle kwakuqhubeka. Njengoba ayesungule umkhumbi wempi ayeseyivivele impi. Imikhiqizo enjenge-bucchero (izitsha ezimnyama zobumba) edumile yayithunyelwa ngemikhumbi eSpain naseGibithe ekude. Ngokusebenzisa imizila yangaphakathi yokuhweba, abantu base-Etruria babethumela iwayini eGaul (eFrance) naseGermania (eJalimane), ngaleyo ndlela bandisa udumo lwabo.

Ukujabulela Ukuphila Kwabantu Base-Etruria

Phakathi kwemithombo yokwaziswa yabantu base-Etruria esinesikhathi eside futhi esenza siwazi kunemisebenzi yabo yobuciko. Njengoba babengabantu abathanda ukuphila ngokunethezeka, abantu base-Etruria babekhiqiza izinto eziningi zokuhloba zegolide, ezihlanganisa amacici, iziqhano, imihlobiso elengiswayo, amasongo, nemigexo. Iseyimfihlakalo ngisho nanamuhla indlela ababewenza ngayo amagugu ayimicikilisho enziwe ngemicu yamatshe ayigugu nezinhlayiya zegolide, besebenzisa ubuhlalu begolide obuncane. Ngaphandle kwezingilazi, izitsha, izinkomishi, nezitsha zokudlela zesiliva nokunye okusansimbi okuyigugu, abantu base-Etruria babeqopha futhi baxhoze ezinye izinto ezibizayo, njengamazinyo endlovu.

Imifanekiso eminingi eqoshiwe, imisebenzi yobungcweti, nezithombe zasodongeni eziye zatholakala zembula indlela abantu base-Etruria ababejabulela ngayo ukuphila. Babekujabulela ukubuka imijaho yezinqola zamahhashi, imidlalo yesibhakela, imincintiswano ye-wrestling, nezemidlalo. Inkosi yayiyibuka lemidlalo, mhlawumbe ihlezi esihlalweni esenziwe ngamazinyo endlovu, iphahlwe izigqila ezazithunjwe ekunqobeni. Ingubo yayo ensomi, ewuphawu lwesikhundla sayo, kamuva yamukelwa amaRoma. Ekhaya yayihlala eduze komkayo ngezikhathi zokudla ilalele imfijoli noma umtshingo futhi ibukele umdanso, ngesikhathi esifanayo ikhonzwa izinceku zayo.

Ngokungafani nhlobo namaGreki noma amaRoma, abesifazane emphakathini wabantu base-Etruria babejabulela isikhundla sokulingana ngokwenhlalo. Babekwazi ukuba nempahla ethi bona, futhi bejabulela izenzakalo zokuzijabulisa. Abesifazane babantu base-Etruria babeba nesibongo sasekhaya nesasemshadweni, okufakazela ukuthi nabo babenamalungelo angokomthetho.

Izinkolelo Ezingokwenkolo Ezingavamile

Isazi-mlando sekhulu lokuqala sabiza abantu base-Etruria ngokuthi “abantu abazinikele emasikweni enkolo ngaphezu kwanoma ubani.” Abantu base-Etruria babekhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi, bethambekele koziqu-zintathu, bebadumisa ngokubenzela amathempeli ahlukene kathathu, noma anamakamelo amathathu. Ikamelo ngalinye lalinesithombe. Impucuko yabantu base-Etruria yayigxile emibonweni eyimfihlo yaseBabiloni. Owawuhamba phambili kuyo kwakuwumbono wokuphila ngemva kokufa nowokuthi kwakunezwe elingaphansi. Izidumbu zazingcwatshwa noma zishiswe. Uma zishisiwe, umlotha wawufakwa ezitsheni ezingafani. Ukubekwa kwalesi sitsha ethuneni, nakho konke okwakubhekwa njengokudingekile ekuphileni kwangaphansi komhlaba, kwakuhambisana namasiko, imihlatshelo, neminikelo yophuzo oludakayo. Izindonga zamathuna abantu ababenothile zazihlotshiswa ngemidwebo enemibala egqamile eveza izimo ezihlukahlukene, ngezinye izikhathi amademoni noma inhlanganisela yezidalwa ezesabekayo. Njengoba omunye umthombo ukubeka, “abantu base-Etruria babesithanda isilo.”

Ukwenza kwabantu base-Etruria i-hepatoscopy, okuwukubhula ngesibindi njengendlela yokubhula, usuka emuva eBabiloni. (Qhathanisa noHezekeli 21:21.) Zonke izici zokuphila kwawo nezokwenza izinqumo zazigxile konkulunkulu. Abantu babebheka phansi noma esibhakabhakeni ukuze bathole imibiko ebikezela okubi. Ukubhula kwakuvame kangangokuba ukubhula ngalendlela kwakubizwa ngokuthi i-disciplina Etrusca, okungukuthi isayensi yabantu base-Etruria.

Ukwamukela Nokuqothulwa

Ngo-509 B.C.E., uhlanga lwamakhosi abantu base-Etruria olwalubuse ikhulu leminyaka eRoma lwaphela. Lesi kwakuyisithunzi sezinto ezaziseza. Enyakatho abantu base-Etruria babesongelwa ngamaCelt, ukubusa kwabantu base-Etruria kuleyo ndawo kwaqedwa ukuhlasela kwawo. Ngaseningizimu, imibango eqhubekayo yemingcele nabantu base-Italy ababelulaza amandla abo ayisisekelo, yayibangela izinkinga kwezenhlalo.

Ngekhulu lesithathu B.C.E., indawo yase-Etruria yayisibuswa amaRoma. Yaqala kanjalo-ke inkathi yokukhukhulwa kwamasiko, noma eyokuvunyelwaniswa nezindlela zabomdabu baseRoma. Ekugcineni, ngo-90 B.C.E., lapho bonke abantu base-Italy bevunyelwa ukuba babe izakhamuzi zaseRoma, imithonseyana yokugcina yesizwe sabantu base-Etruria yashabalala. Kwakudingeka ukuba abantu base-Etruria bakhulume isiLatini futhi bamukele indlela yokuphila yaseRoma. Ngokusobala, zimbalwa izazi zamaRoma eziye zenza imizamo yokuhumusha noma ngisho yokulondoloza izincwadi zabantu base-Etruria. Ngakho, impucuko yabantu base-Etruria yanyamalala yashiya impicabadala. Kodwa yashiya nefa.

Ifa Elihlala Njalo

Amasiko abantu base-Etruria asabonakala ngisho nanamuhla eRoma. AmaRoma alizuza ngenxa yabantu base-Etruria ithempeli lawo iCapitoline, elanikezelwa kuziqu-zintathu uJupiter, uJuno noMinerva; amathempeli awo ahlukaniswe izingxenye ezintathu; izindonga zedolobha lawo lokuqala; nesimiso sokuchitha indle eForum. Ngisho nempisi yaseCapitoline (i-Lupa Capitolina), uphawu lweRoma, isuka e-Etruria. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaRoma amukela ezinye izinkambiso zabantu base-Etruria, njengemidlalo ehilela izimpi zokulwa uze ufe noma ukulwa nezilwane. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 15:32.) Uhlobo lodwendwe lokunqoba lolo ngokungangabazeki uPawulu ayenalo engqondweni kweminye yemifanekiso yakhe lwalusuka e-Etruria.—2 Korinte 2:14.

Futhi izimpawu zabantu base-Etruria ziye zasetshenziswa kabanzi. Udondolo lompristi wabantu base-Etruria, olufana nenduku yomelusi, luye lwahlanganiswa nomsuka we-crosier esetshenziswa ababhishobhi beLobukholwa. I-fasces yabantu base-Etruria (okuyisixha sezinduku eziboshelwe ndawonye embazweni) yayisetshenziswa amaRoma njengophawu lwegunya, njengophawu phakathi nokuVukela KwaseFrance, nayiqembu lezombangazwe langekhulu lama-20 i-Italian Fascist.

Naphezu kwemizamo ebumbene yabavubukuli yokuvumbulula osekwadlula, umsuka wabantu base-Etruria nezici eziningi zokuphila kwabo kuseyimfihlakalo.

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 24]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

ETRURIA

ITALY

[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

1. Impisi yensikazi yaseCapitoline, uphawu lwedolobha laseRoma, eyenziwe ngethusi elifana nelase-Etruria, langekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E.

2. Lezi zibhebhe zegolide, ezibhalwe ngolimi lwase-Etruria (ngakwesokudla) nangolimi lwasePhoenicia (ngakwesobunxele), zinamazwi okuzinikezela ku-Uni (u-Astarte)

3. Ibhokisi lombhangqwana elenziwe ngetshe lase-Etruria

4. Indlela yokwakha ikhothamo yase-Etruria yangekhulu lesine B.C.E. AmaRoma akufunda kubantu base-Etruria ukwakha ikhothamo

5. Isitsha sokuphisa iwayini (krater) sabantu base-Etruria nesisekelo saso sangekhulu le-7 B.C.E., esasisetshenziselwa ukuxuba iwayini

[Umthombo]

Gold tablets: Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Roma; sarcophagus and krater: Musée du Louvre, Paris