VII – V century b.C. (Hoplite) Etruscan of the Po valley.
Other possible names: Oplite of the northern Etruria – Oplite of the Etrurian region of the PO valley

History: Between the VII and the V century b.C. the influence of the Etruscan culture crossed the Appennines. There were several Etruscan settlements in the Po Valley for example, Mantua, Felsini (Bonomia the modern Bologna), Marzabotto, Placentia (Piacenza), all the way down to the towns on the Adriatic sea such as Adria, that gives its name to the said sea, Ravenna, Spina, Verrucchio (Rimini), etc…
These settlements not only received the Greek influence but also by entering into commercial exchange of goods, they came into contact with the culture of Celtic and Venetian populations. (Boii, Cimbri, Cenomani, Insubri, Rahetii, etc). Business exchanges were by sea and across the Alps. The figurine represents a warrior typically armed as an hoplite of the indicated period, and influenced by the Alpine and Balkanic cultures.

Painting instructions: Armour, cuisses and shin-guards, bronze; please notice that several historical fonts report also decorations in red, black and white or black and blue colours. The crest of the helmet carries natural horsehair that could be coloured in red, white or black, the bivalve thorax had decorations that could be made out of other noble metals. Under the armour there were the pteruges in natural leather or white with Greek geometrical decorations. Tunic in linen or wool coloured in red, white or pastel, with edge decorated by Greek geometrical patterns. The circular shield hoplon was made out of laminated wood, sometimes visible on the interior side, most of the time coated in canvas or leather. The edge, as well as the central cover were made out of bronze. It could be decorated with geometrical patterns such as polycentric lines, swastikas, Greek edging, etc. It could also be coloured with anthropomorphic figures indicating physical power or courage. One could find the wolf, boar, horse, eagle, lion and other animals belonging to mythology such as Chimera ,Pegasus, Medusa, Gorgon.

Sculptor: Benoit Cauchies
Hystorical research : Stefano Castracane
Translation from Italian: Riccardo Carrabino