Originally settled in what is Tuscany today, the Etruscans were one of the most important civilizations in ancient Italy. The name Etrusci was given to the civilization by the Romans, and it was from this name that Tuscany's name eventually derived. 

The Etruscans existed in Italy before the founding of Rome and, although the exact date of their origin is unclear, it is known that they were a people with their own unique language. During the peak of Etruscan power, around the time Rome was founded, the civilization spread to different regions from Etruria (that included today's Tuscany, Western Umbria and Northern Lazio) to Campania. There is evidence to suggest that the very area where Rome was to be founded had been also under Etuscan influence.