Central Italy the History, Culture, and Geography

Central Italy the Timeline of Events 

This timeline focuses on key historical periods and events. Particularly those related in Central Italy the development of cities, culture, and political entities in Central Italy.

Pre-Etruscan Era

Volterra’s history begins, spanning over 3000 years.

Ancient Etruscan Period

Central Italy is the heartland of the ancient Etruscans.

Civita di Bagnoregio and Pitigliano have roots stretching back to Etruscan times.

Etruscan tombs are carved into cliffs near Sovana (Tombs of Sovana).

Murlo is an important Etruscan mining center.

Cortona is mentioned with Etruscan walls.

Ancient Roman Period

Central Italy the center of the Roman Empire, with Rome as its capital.

Rome was first settled in the Bronze Age along the Tiber River and grew to encompass its famous seven hills.

The Roman Republic and Empire flourish.

Ravenna becomes the Western capital of the Roman Empire.

Ancient Roman roads and structures are built throughout Central Italy (e.g., Roman origins in Spello reflected in its ancient walls, gates, and amphitheater).

Roman cuisine becomes well-known.

Religious festivals are celebrated.

Marmor Falls, Europe’s tallest man-made waterfall, is created by the ancient Romans.

Bagno Vignoni has ancient Roman baths.

The Cave of Tiberius in Sperlonga houses the remains of a Roman villa and ancient sculptures.

Roman law is practiced, with jurists from Bologna recovering Roman right.

1st Century AD

79 AD

Mount Vesuvius famously destroys the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum (mentioned in the context of volcanoes, outside Central Italy but within the broader discussion of Italy’s geology).

Early Medieval Period

After the fall of Rome, Central Italy the base of the Roman Empire is divided. Mainly between the Papal States and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

The Byzantine Empire influences Ravenna, as seen in its mosaics and ancient architecture. Ravenna’s history leaves its mark, with eight UNESCO world heritage sites.

The Longobard Kingdom significantly impacts Italian cities. In Central Italy the centers of political and legal direction are made.

The Otonian policy in Italy, including the creation of bishop-counts, gives cities greater central authority.

Central Italy the Saracen raids impact coastal areas.

Hungarian raids hit northern Italy hard, causing destruction (e.g., the palace of Pavia).

Encapsulation (building of castles) rises in Central Italy the landscapes change forever.

Cities maintain importance and some level of administration from Roman times.

In Central Itaty the Urban elites remain active.

10th Century

The real roots of the Italian communes are found, overlapping with a period of rebirth in Europe.

In Central Italy the cities grow.

Emergency social life in cities leads to the need for local political bodies, often centered around the bishop.

Urban elites, including minority representatives of the feudal class, start taking the lead in urban government.

The militia (knighthood), a feudal military and social elite, becomes preeminent in cities.

Protopopulace/bourgeoisie class emerges (money lenders, merchants, artisans).

Professionals in liberal arts (medicine, law) gain importance.

Lay population is highly literate and uses writing for living.

Colleges (early corporations/guilds) emerge based on shared interests and professions.

“Boni omines” (good men), trustworthy men from these colleges, surround the bishop and contribute to temporal government.

The clash for investitures (between papacy and empire) takes place, with Italian cities caught in the middle.

The feudal class starts acquiring power in urban government, fortifying their houses with towers.

11th Century

Economic and commercial development of cities, especially maritime ones, accelerates.

Development of urban centers and communal institutions go hand in hand in central and northern Italy.

In Central Italy the concept of “commune” emerges as an alliance or association between various colleges.

Legitimization of communes occurs, sometimes backed by bishops, royal/imperial authority, or the papacy.

The Consolas (consoles), collegial magistrates, usually drawn from the military class, are elected as the first principal magistrates of the communes.

Southern Italian maritime republics like Amalfi rise.

Pisa and Genoa expand by fighting Saracens in the western Mediterranean.

The tides turn, with the Christian side gaining the upper hand over the Muslim one.

1085 – Consoles exist in Lucca and Pisa.

1099 – The Commune of Genoa is born.

12th Century

The period of the Consular regimes, dominated by the feudal military class.

Milan becomes fundamentally the largest city in Europe and begins expanding over other communes.

1117 – The first consular government in Milan is witnessed.

Frederick Barbarossa’s campaigns in Italy are triggered in part by certain Lombard cities asking for help against Milan’s overexpansion.

Italian cities demonstrate wealth and ability to rebuild quickly after destruction (e.g., Milan after being razed by Frederick Barbarossa).

In Central Italy the Cities are structurally sound and difficult to besiege.

Jurists from Bologna recover Roman law.

The political and military practice across communal Italy becomes homogenized.

Alternation in the composition of consoles begins, with representatives of the people (populares) emerging alongside knights (milites).

The Italian maritime republics reach their peak in wealth and power.

13th Century

The age of the Podestà begins (replacing the Consuls, not explicitly detailed in the sources, but implied as a later development).

Rise of the Signories (lordships), roughly starting around the mid-13th century, particularly in Romagna and the Venetian region.

Signories are born over several cities at once, as fundamental experiments of associating cities.

Signories stem from the same commune and the need of citizens for security and balance with freedom.

The Viscontis become a powerful lordship in Milan (late 13th century).

14th Century

Communes transform into Italian city-states. In Central Italy the cities acquired a lot of political and juridical prerogatives.

Regional states and Signories develop around major cities (Milan, Venice, Papal States, Genoa, Florence).

The government of larger states is anchored at the territorial level on the various communes they subdue.

Lordships rule from the same communes, theoretically on behalf of the commune.

Differences exist among lordships (e.g., Republicanism in Florence vs. attempts at homogenization in Milan).

The strongest lordship is affirmed in Lombardy (Visconti).

Cities like Milan become major political and administrative systems, highly modernized and centralized.

Florence behaves as if it were a republic, controlling and protecting other cities in Tuscany.

The decline of central authority in the Kingdom of Sicily allows local barons to take over politically in southern Italian cities.

15th Century

Often not considered a “communal period” by historiography, despite Signories ruling from the same communes.

The age of the Signories continues.

Italian renaissance is born in the cities that were under the Signories.

Political thought evolves in humanism/renaissance.

Renaissance Period (General)

Central Italy the birthplace of the Renaissance.

Breathtaking art is produced.

Cities like Florence (birthplace of the Renaissance) and Urbino (center of great cultural importance) are significant.

Florence is the center of art, thought, and business, ruled for centuries by the powerful Medici family.

Urbino is the birthplace of Raphael.

Italian Renaissance and Baroque art is collected (e.g., Galleria Nazionale in Parma).

Lateran Treaty 

Defines the Vatican’s power, affecting modern Italian governance (timeframe not specified but relevant to contemporary Italy).

19th Century –The unification of Italy occurs.

20th Century – The time of the Kingdom of Italy.

World War II takes place under Benito Mussolini.

1944 – Mount Vesuvius last erupts.

1946 – The current constitution of Italy is established.

Contemporary Period (up to 2021)

Italy has 68 different governments since 1946.

Central Italy holds historical importance as the heart of the Papal States and home to the Holy See.

The Vatican’s power is relevant to modern Italian governance.

Central Italy has strong cultural ties with Northern Europe.

Regions like Tuscany, Lazio, Umbria, and Marche are vital for political discussions on unity and identity.

Economic developments shape politics in Central Italy.

Italy’s population is in decline due to low birth rates and migration.

Southern Italy is prone to earthquakes (e.g., 1908 earthquake in Reggio di Calabria).