Tuscany (/tskni/; Italian: Toscana, pronounced [toskana]) is a region in central Italy with

an area of about 23,000 square kilometres (8,900 sq mi) and a population of about 3.8
million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence(Firenze).
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, traditions, history, artistic legacy and its influence
on high culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Renaissance and has been home to
many figures influential in the history of art and science, and contain well-known museums
such as the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace. Tuscany produces wines, including Chianti, Vino
Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano and Brunello di Montalcino. Having a strong
linguistic and cultural identity, it is sometimes considered "a nation within a nation". Seven
Tuscan localities have been designated World Heritage Sites: the historic centre of
Florence (1982); the historical centre of Siena (1995); the square of the Cathedral of
Pisa (1987); the historical centre of San Gimignano (1990); the historical centre
ofPienza (1996); the Val d'Orcia (2004), and Medici Villas and Gardens (2013). Tuscany has
over 120 protectednature reserves, making Tuscany and its capital Florence popular tourist
destinations that attract millions of tourists every year.[4] In 2012, the city
of Florence became the world's 89th most visited city, with over 1.834 million arrivals. [5]

Etruscans[edit]
Main article: Etruscan civilization

The Chimera of Arezzo, Etruscan bronze, 400 BC

The Etruscans (Latin: Tusci) created the first major civilization in this region, large enough
to establish a transportinfrastructure, to implement agriculture and mining and to produce
vibrant art.[9] The Etruscans lived in Etruria well into prehistory.[8] The civilization grew to
fill the area between the Arno River and Tiber River from the 8th century BC, reaching its
peak during the 7th and 6th centuries BC, finally succumbing to the Romans by the 1st
century.[10] Throughout their existence, they lost territory (in Campania) to Magna
Graecia, Carthage and Celts.[9] Despite being seen as distinct in its manners and customs
by contemporary Greeks,[11] the cultures of Greece, and later Rome, influenced the
civilization to a great extent. One reason for its eventual demise [10] was this increasing
absorption by surrounding cultures, including the adoption of the Etruscan upper class by
the Romans.[9]

Romans[edit]
Soon after absorbing Etruria, Rome established the cities of Lucca, Pisa, Siena,
and Florence, endowed the area with new technologies and development, and ensured
peace.[9] These developments included extensions of existing roads, introduction of
aqueducts and sewers, and the construction of many buildings, both public and private.
However, many of these structures have been destroyed by erosion due to weather. [9] The
Roman civilization in the West collapsed in the 5th century AD and the region fell briefly
to Goths to be re-conquered by the Byzantine Empire. In the years following 572,
theLongobards arrived and designated Lucca the capital of their Duchy of Tuscia.[9]