The History Of Italy

The HistoryOfItaly The HistoryOfItaly

Prehistoric Era Italy was inhabited as early as the Paleolithic period. The first settlements in Apulia go back to about 250,000 years ago. The photo above shows the remains of Delia, a woman hominid found at Ostuni (In the south of Apulia) she was carrying a fetus in the terminal phase dating to 25,000 years ago, it is the oldest mother's story ever brought to light.

Paglicci Cave The photos relate to the PaglicciCave, near RignanoGarganico, (in the nearby of San Giovanni Rotondo) one of the most important Palaeolithic sites in Europe. Here, more than 45,000 artifacts have been found dating back to the Paleolithic era, including these beautiful graffiti.

The Pre-roman Times: The Etruscans Many peoples have inhabited in pre-Roman Italy. Highly commendable were the Etruscans who, with their refined and evolved culture, influenced the Roman world. They have been living in Tuscany since the eighth century BC, leaving many cultural and architectural evidences of their presence. The photos relate to the Paglicci Cave, near RignanoGarganico, (in the nearby of San Giovanni Rotondo) one of the most important Palaeolithic sites in Europe. Here, more than 45,000 artifacts have been found dating back to the Paleolithicera, including these beautiful graffiti.

Famous Sarcophagus Of The Spouses The famous Sarcophagus of the Spouses, an Etruscan funerary urn in which in depicted a married couple lying on a triclinium in the act of pouring perfume on his hands. The attitude of man, friendly and affectionate towards the bride, testifies to the profound respect enjoyed by the women in Etruscan society.

The Greek Colonization The Greeks, around the eighth century BC, landed on the Mediterranean coast of southern Italy searching new fertile lands to cultivate. They founded numerous colonies (the first Pithecusa around 770 BC on the island of Ischia), transmitting to the local population their own culture, philosophy, art and religion. Not without reason, therefore, the Greek Civilization is considered the mother of all Western civilization. Just in a Greek colony, Crotone, the great philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras worked. The charming greek theater of Taormina, in Sicily, enjoying the background of the Ionian Sea. It is the scenario in which there is the presentation of the prestigious award "David di Donatello".

The Valley Of The Temples The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, one of the largest archaeological sites in the world (1300 hectares). It is in the UNESCO world heritage list Since 1997.It is characterized by the remains of ten Doric temples: of Hera or Juno Lacinia, of Concord, better preserved because it turned into a Christian church, of Heracles, of Olympian Zeus, the greatest of all the old west, the Dioscuri, of Hephaestus, Athena, built in the historic center of Agrigento, Asclepius temple, Demeter, Isis, etc.

The Cup Of Nestor The Cup of Nestor, found in the Greek colony of Pithecusa(Ischia the beautiful isle near Capri), is the first witness of the Western alphabetic writing, in this case question of Greek writing.

The Roman Age La lupaCapitolina is one of the symbols of Rome and its history. According to the legend, it nursed the twins Romulus and Remus, sons of the forbidden love between Mars and the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia. After various adventures, the twins intended to found a new settlement: who would have seen more omen signs have traced the line of the wall and gave its name to the new city. Romolus won and he founded Rome on the Palatine hill becaming its first king.

Canne Della Battaglia CannedellaBattaglia (Foggia), it's an archaeological site where the battle took place between the Carthaginians led by Hannibal(victorious) and the Romans in 216 BC, during the Second Punic War. The Carthaginian was the most serious external threat that faced the Roman Republic, that was born in 509 BC after the expulsion of the Tarquins.

The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater, was built around 70 AD by Emperor Vespasian, founder of the Flavian dynasty, and was inaugurated in 80 AD Emperor Titus. The Republic, after the death in 44 BC Julius Caesar and some civil wars in 27 BC was transformed into a principality by Octavian Augustus, founder of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. In this period it was considerable the cultural prestige reached by Rome thanks to writers such as Cicero, Virgil, Horace, Ovid and Seneca. .

The Trajan's Column The famous Trajan's Column, erected to celebrate the victory against the invincible Dacia, is the maximun symbol of the power of Rome, which reached its peak in 117 AD, thanks to the military exploits of the emperor Trajan. From here on, the Roman Empire will know a slow but inexorable decline until the division of the Western Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire settled by Emperor Theodosius (395 AD). It's important to remember the Empire of Constantine (306-337 AD), who in issued the Edict of Milan on religious tolerance, 313 AD. This favored the spread of the Christian religion, which became the official creed of the Roman Empire in 391-392 AD thanks to the Emperor Theodosius. The last Western Roman Emperor Romulus Augustus was dethroned by Odoacer in 476 AD, after years of barbarian invasions. The Eastern Roman Empire will endure untill 1453, when the Turks of Mohammed II conquered Costantiinopoli.

The Longobards About a century after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, a new population of Germanic origin, the Lombards, or Longobardas established in southern Italy, they founded an independent kingdom, that ende 774, with the conquest of the Franks of Charlemagne. They left important signs of their presence, such as the Church of Santa Sofia in Benevento, the capital of the Kingdom, built around 760 and UNESCO in June 2011.

St. Michael'sBasilica The Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel in Monte Sant‘Angelowas built around 490. In 650 it became part of the Lombards domains, who worshiped particularly him because they saw in St. Michael the warrior virtues of the Germanic god Odin. The sanctuary was soon proclaimed the National Shrine of the Lombards, becoming one of the main pilgrimage sites in Christendom. St. Michael's Basilica

“The Via Francigena” and “The via Sacra Langobardorum” and “The via Sacra Langobardorum” A this point it's important to remember “The Via Francigena”

“The Via Francigena” And “The Via Sacra Langobardorum” A Variant Stage of the Via Francigena, is called today Via Sacra Langobardorum, because it was characterized and it bacame important thanks to the Longobards in our Apulia region. With the spreading of the cult for St. Michael, the road crossing the Stigliano Valley - which was basically the same as the ancient via Traiana - was named Via Sacra Langobardorum[i.e. Holy Road of the Lombards]. Along the via Sacra, several shrines can be found together with the traces of the buildings affording shelter to pilgrims (churches, hostels, monasteries, inns, hospitals) and highly valuable historical and artistic items. A The town of Monte Sant'Angelo itself shows remarkable features as to both its urban structure and the historical and artistic sights. The town can be regarded as one of the most interesting examples in Apulia of a "settlement" perched on the crest of a hill; its buildings follow the level curves of the mountain without affecting the integrity of the landscape, whilst defence requirements could be met by building a castle on the topmost part of the town. The “Via Francigena” is the common name of an ancient road and pilgrim route running from France to Rome, to Jerulasem though it is usually considered to have its starting point in the English Cathedralcity of Canterbury. As such, the route passes through England, France, Switzerlandand Italyto end in the Holy Land. The route was known in Italy as the "Via Francigena“ ("the road that comes from France") or the "Via RomeaFrancigena“ ("the road to Rome that comes from France"). In mediaeval times it was an important road and pilgrimage route for those wishing to visit the Holy See and the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul. In the Middle Ages, Via Francigena was the major pilgrimage route to Rome from the north. The name Via Francigena is first mentioned in the ActumClusio, a parchment of 876 in the Abbey of San Salvatore al Monte Amiata(Tuscany). At the end of the 10th century Sigeric the Serious, the Archbishop of Canterbury, used the Via Francigenato and from Rome in order to receive his pallium. The Via Francigena was not a single road, like a Roman road, paved with stone blocks and provided at intervals with a change of horses for official travellers. Rather, it comprised several possible routes that changed over the centuries as trade and pilgrimage waxed and waned. After all, all roads lead to Rome. Due to the scarcity of dedicated pilgrims' accommodation along the Via Francigena, pilgrims often camp out rather than staying in hotels or pensions, both options which would turn out expensive when used for weeks on end. However increasingly in Italy, some monasteries and religious houses do offer dedicated pilgrim's accommodation. These are called spedales and — like the refugiosfound on the Way of St. James in France and Spain — they offer cheap and simple dormitory-style accommodation. Our region Apulia was an important stage along the south part of the “Via Francigena” and a lot of monasteries, abbeys and hostels rose here. The route coming from Faeto to Monte Sant’Angelo is also known as “St. Michael’s route” and it crosses San Marco in Lamis and its “St. Mathew’s monastery” and the “Stignano cloister”, San Giovanni Rotondo reaching Monte Sant’Angeloand its “St. Michael’s Basilica”. Stignano Cloister

The Normans The Normans established themselves successfully in southern Italy since the year one thousand. Thanks to the businesses of the family of Hauteville, the Normans became masters of Southern Italy, Apulia domains subtracting the Byzantines and Sicily from the Arabs. The Norman Kingdom of Sicily was inherited in 1194 by Emperor Henry VI of Swabia because he had married the last heir Norman, Costanzad'Altavilla(these are the parents of Frederick II).In the photo, from left, the imposing Norman castle of Melfiand the Mausoleum of Hautevillein Venosa (PZ).

THE BIRTH Of The Municipalities In the twelfth century, while southern Italy was under the influence of Normandy, northern Italy witnessed the birth of Communes. After meeting in the Lombard League, supported by the Pope, they clashed with the Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa getting a decent autonomy. These towns were the basis of the Italian “Signorie” of Milano, Mantova, Firenze, Verona, Ferrara, Bologna and Urbino. Also, they were the protagonists of the Italian cultural Renaissance occurred in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and allowed the cultural birth of Dante, Petrarca and Boccaccio, considered the fathers of Italian literature. Francesco Petrarca Dante Alighieri Giovanni Boccaccio

Federico II Castel del Monte was built by Frederick II around 1240 at Andria (BA). The castle is octagonal in shape and it is located on a hill of the Murge. It has been a World Heritage Site (UNESCO) since 1996. Frederick II was an important figure in the Italian culture because the earliest form of Italian literature (the Sicilian Poetic School) born there, at his court, in Palermo. The son, Manfred, built the port city of Manfredonia.

The Reinnassence The Renaissance is a period of artistic and cultural rebirth that occurred in Italy in the second half of the fifteenth century. Italy was a battlefield where not only Signorie played a central role but also the foreign powers, which were called by the Italian princes to settle the various disputes. In 1454, thanks to the Peace of Lodi, the situation stabilized and Italy kept, for almost 50 years, the peace. This policy of balance is due to the personality and the political wisdom of Lorenzo de Medici, called the Magnificent, ruler of Firenze, the cradle of the Renaissance. Southern Italy came back under the Spanish rule with Alfonso V of Aragon. Lorenzo de Medici

The Reinnassence Leonardo da Vinci is universally known as a genius. He is one of the brightest minds in human history. He was a scholar, philosopher, essayist, sculptor, illustrator, set designer, musician, anatomist and scientist, as well as course designer and inventor. His human anatomy studies are memorable. He worked mostly between Firenze and Milano, but he died in France in 1519. He was the author of immense works among which the “La Dama con l’Ermellino”, “L’ultimacena” and the famous “Mona Lisa”. The “Grande Nibbio”, ingenious and visionary, is a flying machine invented to make the man fly. L’UltimaCena Mona Lisa Leonardo da Vinci Grande Nibbio La Dama con l’Ermellino

The Reinnassence Michelangelo Buonarrotiwas an undisputed master of painting, sculpture and architecture. He is universally recognized as one of the greatest artists of all time. The most famous and beautiful sculptures are the Pietà and the statue of David. He oversaw the renovation of the Cappella Sistina, realizing the frescoesLa creazione di Adamo and Il Giudizio Universale. Also, he oversaw the construction of the Basilica di San Pietro in Firenze. Pietà La Creazione di Adamo Basilica di San Pietro David Cappella Sistina

The Risorgimento During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Italy suffered from the interference of the European powers, particularly Austria ( Northern Italy ) and Spain ( Southern Italy ). At the end of the nineteenth century, Napoleon, with the Italian Campaign, conquered half of the peninsula and he is welcomed as a liberator of the Italian population that began to trust in unity and to have patriotic feelings in an attempt to free themselves from foreign domination. In this context, critics interpreted the movements of 1820-1821 . From 1848 onwards, the Wars of Independence started. They led to the unification of Italy in 1861 with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the historic meeting of Teano (October 1860) between Giuseppe Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II, then king of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the '"hero of two worlds" delivered southern Italy to the future first king of Italy.

The Risorgimento Historic photo of the breach of PortaPia, in September 1870, when the Italian army managed to enter the city of Rome and to make and end of the temporal power of the Pope. The following year, Rome was declared the capital of Italy.

The Risorgimento Alessandro Manzoni, father of the modern Italian language, was senator of the Kingdom of Italy. He wrote two famous historical hatreds, “Il 5 Maggio”, dedicated to Napoleon, and “Marzo 1821”, on the united fatherland. The most famous written, studied and read in all schools today, is “I PromessiSposi”. Alessandro Manzoni

Italy Between The Two World Wars Benito Mussolini was the founder of the Fascist Party. He dominated the Italian political scene for over twenty years, from 1922 to 1944. During his despotic, violent and anti-Semitic government, Italy allied with Nazi Germany of Hitler. The two politicians, fanatics and visionaries, led to the downfall of the nations they represented. The Second World War marked the end of totalitarian regimes. The price the world paid, in terms of human lives, was very high. After the unification, Italy experienced the governments of the historical Right and Left, up toGiolitti’spolicy in the twentieth century. In 1914, after the outbreak of the First World War, Italy decided to Participate to get Trento and Trieste from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The defeat of Caporetto (1917) was the worst defeat ever suffered by the Italian army but it emerged victorious from the war anyway. However, peace talks didn’t satisfied the Italian government: critics spoke about the "mutilated victory", a term coined by a contemporary Italian poet, Gabriele D'Annunzio.

The Italian Constitution On June 2, 1946, a year after the end of the war, a referendum was called by the Italian people to vote for an institutional form to give to the country: republic or monarchy. They proclaimed a republic for a few votes. On December 27, 1947 the Constitution of the Italian Republic was promulgated and it was signed by President Enrico De Nicola. The first article specifically mentions: "Italy is a democratic republic founded on work. Sovereignty belongs to the people and it is exercised in the manner and within the limits of the Constitution."

Italy Today Italy has been able to rise from the rubble of war. Italians knew the "economic boom" in the sixties. In the seventies and eighties they lived terrible moments in which subversive and extremist forces have made serious doubts grow on the sovereignty of the state. The kidnapping and murder (after a 55-day prison ) of the President of the Christian Democrat Aldo Moro, organized by the Red Brigades in 1978, was one of the blackest pages in the post-war. Italy reacted with great firmness and strength of will to curb these violent groups and anarchists. Today we are one of the most industrialized country of the world and , perhaps, the most beautiful. Despite the serious crisis that affects the entire world economy, we will pick ourselves up and start again to preserve the honor of those who fought for this land and who have sacrificed their lives for ours. From the Alps to Etna, we are always united under one flag: our beloved Tricolor.

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The History Of Italy