Before Rome came the Etruscans - they were the dominant culture in ancient Italy in the centuries before Rome's imperial expansion. But how did they fall? In this episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by archeologist Lucy Shipley to chronicle the decline of this once mighty ancient superpower that ruled the Mediterranean for hundreds of years. Together, they dive into the rich archaeological evidence that the Etruscans have left behind, including tomb paintings and pottery and explore how the legacy of Etruscan culture endured under harsh Roman rule. To listen to Lucy's previous appearance on The Ancients - The Etruscans - click here Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. The Ancients is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey at https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK. All music courtesy of Epidemic Sound