A history of Italy

In many ways, the history of Italy is the history of the modern world. So many pivotal moments in our
collective past have taken place in Italy that it can be considered Europes historical keystone. In this
section, learn about the great and not so great moments in Italian history, from the grandeur of Rome to
the Renaissance, the Risorgimento to the battlefields of World War II.
History and culture
The founding of Rome is enveloped in myth: the story goes that the first city center sprang up in 753 B.C.
on the Palatine hill, built by Romulus after he had killed his twin brother Remus.
Romulus was the first of the seven kings of Rome, who started off the basic characteristics of this city that
would go on to make Rome powerful throughout the ancient world: public works, institutional reforms,
aqueducts.
With the arrival of the Republic, Rome increased its expansion policy and after the Punic Wars, Carthage,
Corsica and Sardinia were all annexed to the Republic.
Italian culture is steeped in the arts, family, architecture, music and food. Home of the Roman Empire and
a major center of the Renaissance, culture on the Italian peninsula has flourished for centuries. Here is a
brief overview of Italian customs and traditions.

The Roman Empire

Roman invasion began a trend that would continue into neighboring continents over the next 12 centuries,
resulting in the Roman Empire. This is why, even though youll marvel at the Coliseums in Rome, you
dont have to go to Italy to see Roman ruins. It wasnt until the 3rd century that the Roman Empire began
to fall leaving Italy as a series of city-states which no one empire could bring together.
Invasion and unification
Following the years of the Renaissance, a few foreign governments (like France and Spain) decided they
wanted what Italy had - so began fighting over dominion of the country. Because the country still existed
as city-states at this time, and with no real leadership, there was no banding together to fight off the
invaders. Not at least, until the 1840s when unification began and Italy became finally became a country
in 1866. Rome was joined with Italy in 1871 and became the capital.
The monarchy lasted until the Second World War, when Mussolini and his Fascist party involved Italy on
the side of Germany. After the downfall of Mussolini and the end of the war, Italy was ready for a change,
and in 1948 the Republic of Italy was established.

Connecticut based Italian Organization preserving the cultural and heritage of our parents and
grandparents. Bacio, Bridgeport Area Italian tradition in america & Italian organization in america.