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Small settlements, quite sophisticated civilisations (villages beside rivers, metalworking, livestock farming and raising. -
Greek settlements in Naples, Sicily and the southern coast named as Magna Graecia. Magna Graecia dominated the trade in the Mediterranean. At the same time the Etruscans settled in the north of Tiber and Around the Arno. They builded hilltop cities and created agricultural lands with advanced systems. -
Latin communities settled on the Palatine Hill and gradually expanded. The Roman Empire bornt in 27BC, it invaded much of Europe, Greece, Spain, North Africa and Asia minor. The Romans made many innovations in engigneering and architecture -
Invasions and civil wars disrupted the Empire. Meanwhile the Christianity religion had been declared as the state religion. In 476 AD the Empire was finally over and Flavius Odoacer was named as the first king of Italy. -
This was a period of repetead invasions and struggles for domination between the conqueros and the popes. The four maritime republics were important political and commercial powers. Cities setted up local autonomy governements. -
From the late 14th century to the 16th century Italy saw a proliferation of intellectual and artistic ideas. In this period happened many progresses in art, science, philosophy and literature. -
From the 16th to 18th century, Italy faced invasions and wars by foreign powers, leading to economic decline. Napoleon briefly annexed the northern and central regions in 1796. After his defeat in 1814, Italy was divided into ten states, returning to previous divisions with foreign control. -
The political and social discontent in Italy led to the foundation of rebellions in different parts of the country. Giuseppe Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italians nationalists, played a fundamental role in the Risorgimento, the movement for reform and unification of the country. In 1860, Garibaldi conquered Sicily, moved to Naples and the rest of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. The Kingdom of Italy was officially proclaimed in 17th March, 1861, and ten years later, Rome became the capital.