Raising the topic of the history of Italy, we are not at all going to go deep into the jungle. But if you are already going to the Apennines, it is quite reasonable to notice some moments in the history of the Italian state, which you might not have known about. After all, this can help from a purely practical point of view. For example, when choosing souvenirs for loved ones.
Although the history of the settlement of Italy begins that way 500 thousand years ago, we will miss this stage, moving right away to a more interesting and eventful period ...
Of the many tribes that inhabited in the 1st millennium BC territory of modern Italy, the Etruscans deserve special attention. In addition to Great Greece, the Etruscans are another nation that has had a great influence on history of Italy, especially in her Roman period.
Surely you have heard of them before, although this information is often very contradictory. The Etruscans were among the first to take root in the Apennines, and from the 9th to the 7th centuries BC under their rule was almost the entire central part of modern Italy. You can talk about the achievements of the Etruscans for hours: they were the first to spread their alphabet on the Apennines, leaving behind a rich cultural, religious, military, political and civil engineering heritage. Their deep knowledge of medicine aroused sincere admiration among the ancient Romans. What is the fact that the Etruscans learned to fill and put crowns on their teeth. What? And this is almost 3 thousand years ago ...
Attractions such as chariot races and gladiator fights came to ancient Rome, also known exclusively in ancient times, also exclusively thanks to the Etruscans.
In addition, it was from the Etruscans that the Romans adopted the foundations of engineering and widely used it in the construction of buildings and arches. In Perugia, you can still see some historical monuments created by the Etruscans about 2.5 thousand years ago: even today these structures amaze the imagination with their scale and subtlety of execution.
However, the history of the prosperity of the Etruscans is sad. At a certain stage, they encountered a force that they could not resist on equal terms - the Romans.
The rise and fall of the Roman Empire
Ancient Rome is not just another significant milestone in the history of Italy, it is the period that modern Italians still speak with aspiration.
Although Rome was founded back in 754 BC, for a long time it did not stand out from other cities, many scattered across the Apennine Peninsula. But the Romans had an assertive character and big plans for the future. By the end of the 1st millennium BC they managed to create the most perfect war machine for that period, which gradually subjugated not only the neighboring tribes: Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia, but also most of modern Europe, as well as Asia and North Africa.
By the end of the 1st millennium BC the Romans managed to create the most advanced war machine
The Roman Empire entered its Zenith under the emperor Augustus, after which it lasted for almost 500 years (27 BC - 476). Relying on the power of its Legions, the Empire flourished for a long time, leaving no other nations a chance to compete with it. However, over time, internal contradictions began to erode the foundations on which the power of the Romans rested.
The internal crisis coincided with the activation of barbarian tribes on the borders of the Empire. And even its division into the East (with a center in Constantinople) and the West (with a center in Rome) did not help to strengthen order in the territories under its control.
476 AD is considered to be the end of the existence of the Western Roman Empire, which fell under the blows of the barbarian Germanic tribes. And this was a significant milestone for the whole of Europe, marking the beginning of a new period known as the Dark Ages.
History of Italy in the Dark Ages
By the end of the 5th century, Italy was almost completely conquered by the Ostrogoths, then by the Byzantines, and by the end of the 6th century it was subdued by the Lombards, whose reign had varying degrees of success for several centuries.
By the end of the VIII century, the northern and most of central Italy was conquered by the Franks. Sicily was captured by the Arabs in the 9th century, and under the pressure of the Normans in the middle of the 11th century the southern areas of the Apennines surrendered.
In the Middle Ages, even powerful fortifications did not save the invaders from raids
However, in spite of successive conquerors, the cultural traditions of the indigenous Italians only strengthened as they absorbed all the best from the experience and knowledge of other nationalities.
Renaissance and the creation of the Independent Kingdom of Italy
The end of the Middle Ages in Italy was marked by the formation of rich and strong city-states, among which Venice, Genoa and several others stood out. Active trade and the concentration of capital, in turn, gave a powerful impetus to the development of the arts that flourished most in Florence.
Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, Petrarch and Bogaccio are far from a complete list of natives of Florence, thanks to whose activities the world entered a new era - the Renaissance, and the city itself turned into one of the greatest centers of world culture.
However, despite the amazing achievements in science and culture, Renaissance Italy continued to resemble a patchwork, consisting of many large and small states. During this period, the idea of creating a single nation is already beginning to mature in the most progressive minds, but it will only be possible to become a reality in the 19th century.
Renaissance gave the world the greatest works of art
Over its long history, the country has experienced many aggressive wars, national liberation movements and revolutionary cataclysms. But only in 1861 the Italians were able to breathe a sigh of relief when, during Risorgimento, the King of Sardinia proclaimed the creation of the Independent Italian Kingdom, uniting the independent Italian states into a single country. The symbol of the new state was the tricolor flag of a united Italy. Rome and Venice became part of the Italian Kingdom a little later, and in 1871, the "Eternal City" became the capital of Italy.
XX century in Italy
The first half of the 20th century in Italy is a rather “vague" period. Although the country got off in the First World War with a “slight fright”, avoiding the losses that fell on the main participants in the battles, nevertheless, significant internal changes took place in it.
From 1924 to 1943 in Italy, the fascist regime headed by Benito Mussolini “ruled the ball”. Under the dictatorship of Mussolini, the development of the country took place with varying success, until it got involved in the Second World War on the side of Germany.
If Mussoloni knew where the "Napoleonic" plans would lead him, then, of course, he would have been much more circumspect when choosing allies. Another sharp turn in the history of Italy begins exactly with the execution of the dictator and the landing of the Allies on the Apennines. And in 1946, immediately after the war, a change of power took place here again: the abdication of the king and the proclamation of a republic give the country a new impetus for development.
Italy adhered to the Western bloc during the Cold War, although there was a powerful pro-communist movement in the country. Italy has also become one of the first member states of the European Union.
Modern Italy - an independent republican state. And today it periodically "raging passions." However, during their turbulent history, Italians have long learned to resolve all their issues in a democratic way.
