Abstrakt
After the 5th century BC crisis in Etruria comes the Hellenistic period, which lasted from the 4th century BC to the 1st century BC and brought profound changes in Etruscan society and culture. At the end of the 4th century BC started the Roman conquest of the Etruscan territory.
During the 3rd century BC one after another the Etruscan cities fallen under the control of Rome, but their fate was not the same. Some cities were totally destroyed, for some has started period of decline, but for the other cities started period of new revival and flourishing.
In the archaeological and literary sources the Etruscan elites are the most visible part of society. Social class of elites was demonstrating their status in costly funeral art.
Important and wealthy Etruscan gentes constructed family tombs decorated with frescoes and reliefs, and was buriing in them their members in cinerary urns and sarcophagi. How has been affected and how has changed the life of Etruscan elites in different parts of Etruria in the time of rising power of Rome will be illustrated on the examples of evolution in Etruscan cities.
How were progressing Romanization and Hellenistic influence reflected in art of the last Etruscans? This contribution attempts to identify what changed and what stayed traditional in society and its structure throughout examining the architecture and art, with focus on the funeral art and architecture, during the process of Romanization between the 4th to the 1st century BC, after which the Etruscan culture gradually dissolved in that of the Roman empire.