History of Italy
Writing a comprehensive history of Italy in such a short post is certainly a tall order given that Italy has been in existence for a very long period of time. Historical documents point to the origin of Italy sometime in the 9th century BC when different tribes established residence in what is present-day Italy. Subsequent alliances amongst these tribes as they grew in size, economic might and military power eventually led to the founding and dominance of Rome as a city-state.
The growth of the Roman Empire was easy to chronicle after that. The might of the Romans stretched far and wide and covering even the small islands in the Mediterranean such as Ibiza, Crete, Malta and many others. The Roman Empire also gave birth to many of the known names that now dominate history books written for this era. Names like Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony, and Emperor Augustus amongst others.
The Romans were responsible for many of the advances that helped usher the world into a new age. Literature particularly flourished in Rome with poets like Virgil, Horace and Ovid gaining recognition up to this day. Rome was also dominant in other facets of life including military warfare, technology, economics, medicine and science. The ancient Romans may not have access to “buy Kratom” advertisements but they had their fair share of health secrets and luxuries to get them by.
The fall of Rome ushered The Middle Ages spanning the 9th to the 14th century. This was a particularly gloomy time for Europe as alliances and allegiances re-aligned. Wars were fought over territories and resources. Religion was a focal point in the quest for European dominance and there was no coherent political system which was in effect throughout Italy. Instead, there were different republics in different cities like Venice, Pisa, and Genoa and each of these was ruled by a different leader.
It wasn’t until the Renaissance when Rome finally regained its full glory. It paved the way for many of the concepts that we still benefit to this day, from the mundane reclaim PPI system to technological, literary, political and scientific revolutions that we still consider as marvels in modern times. Names like Leonardo Da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and Raphael are still household names today. Such was their influence on Italian history that their works have been recognized in other cultures that had minimal Italian connections.
The 18th century saw Italy plunged into wars over European dominance. Italy was locked in a battle for control of Europe with Napoleon Bonaparte leading the French cavalcade. This was an era where annexation of land was the goal and the trust deed was military victory. The outcome of the war was crucial to defining the borders of modern day Italy particularly to the West and North where Italy borders France. To the Northeast, wars with the Germans and Swiss-Germans were also prevalent as the world was re-drawing itself from the entire fracas.
Modern Italy was finally unified in the mid-1800s after the cessation of the Franco-Prussian War. The country adopted a liberal government from this period on until the 1920s. Italy was also a prominent feature in the 1st and 2nd World Wars as an ally to Germany. The fallout of these wars begets the modern Italy we see today.
Italy was a very long history which makes it not only an interesting subject of study but also an important lesson in the development of the global political setup today. If you want to know more about Italy’s long history, read up on history books or better yet find time to sit in a college class on Italian history. There’s no doubt it’s a great exercise in historical appreciation and learning.