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In 706 BC, spartan immigrants found the colony of Taranto in Southern Italy.
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The disasterous disease known as the Black Death spread across Europe in the years 1346-53. This was an epidemic of bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacterium, when, normally the black rat gets infected. The plague impacts humans when the rats are around humans. In 1348 the Black Death took over most of Italy, killing one third of its population.
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The Italian War of 1494-98, or First Italian War, began, marking the first major battle in the Italian Wars.
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Europe's worst earthquake, centered on the strait of Messina, kills up to 200,000 people in Sicily and southern Italy. The earthquake that rocked the city of Messina, Italy, in 1908 was the largest ever recorded in Europe, measuring more than 7 on the moment magnitude scale.
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Italy sides with the Allies as they enter World War I. During WWI the allies included Britain, France, Russia, the United States, and Italy.
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In 1940-1943 Italy switches sides, and fights with Germany as it enters World War II.
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In 1946 Italians vote to end the monarchy and make their nation a democratic republic.
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Catholicism is no longer Italy's formal state religion.
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Italy takes part in the Afghanistan War.
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Billionaire Silvio Berlusconi returns to power as prime minister. He begins a third term.
