Final answer:
The Etruscan culture arose in what is now central Italy, particularly in the area known as Tuscany. Their advanced civilization was influential in the early development of Roman society before being assimilated into Roman culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Etruscan culture emerged in the region of what is now Italy. Specifically, it was centered around Etruria, which corresponds to the modern region of Tuscany. By the 6th century BCE, the Etruscans had extended their control to include Rome and had influenced early Roman culture significantly. The Etruscans were known as Tyrrhenoi by the Greeks and referred to themselves as the Rasenna. Their society was advanced, with city-states similar to those of the Greeks, and they were skilled in trade, particularly with the Greeks and Phoenicians. Their written language, influenced by the Greek alphabet, remains only partially deciphered by scholars. The Etruscan city-states were the dominant power in the peninsula until the Battle of Cumae in 474 BCE, after which their influence began to wane and eventually they were absorbed into Roman culture.