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Italy History
It's hard to find where to start when talking about the history of a nation that gave birth to one of the earth's greatest civilizations and is the home of the Roman Catholic Church.
The country is literally a cornerstone for the building of our modern world. After Stone Age gatherers traversed Italy's countryside over 70,000 years ago, the country began to be settled by a number of distinct tribes around 1,800 BC. By the 7th century BC, Greek traders were settling in the south, the Estruscans were forming their own society and a little town called Rome was quickly growing.
Legend had it that Aeneas, the Trojan hero of Virgil's legendary Aeneid, landed on the shores of Italy in 1184 BC. Hundreds of years later his descendants Romulus and Remus, fathered by the Roman God, Mars, are said to have founded what we now know as the modern day city of Rome. A line of kings ruled from then on until a Republic bestowed power on two elected Consuls who ruled with the help of a Senate.
The heroic king Gaius Julius Caesar took power in Rome in 59 BC and spent the majority of his reign attempting to conquer Gaul (now modern day France). He was assassinated in 44 BC and after his death was the ascension of a new leader, Octavian, who was bestowed with the moniker Augustus. Augustus was followed in Roman rule by legendary names like Caligula, Claudius, Marcus Aurelius and Commodus.
In its heyday, the Roman Empire exerted dominance over Britain, Gaul, parts of Germany, Greece and the Balkans; as well as modern day Turkey, Syria, Lebanon. It packed in 1.5 million citizens and led the ancient world as an advanced and egalitarian society. Rome's advances in government, culture, architecture and plumbing cemented its position as the ancient world's most influential society.
In the 1850s murmurings began about the establishment of a united Italian nation, but it was after the reign of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and Italy's failed involvement with Germany in World War II that a proper Italian nation was formed.
An Italian Republic was established in 1946, but the country's first government elected didn't take control of the country until 1948. From this time forward, Italy has evolved into a modern nation, whilst at the same time maintaining those traditions that have served it so well over the years.
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