THE HISTORY OF ROME

Ancient Rome: From the Origins to the Republic

According to legend, Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC by Romulus, on the Palatine Hill. In reality, the city was born from small Latin and Sabine villages. In the first centuries it was governed by a monarchy, then, in 509 BC, it became a Republic. Rome expanded into Lazio and then throughout the peninsula, starting a political and military empire based on the Senate, the laws and the army.

The Roman Empire

With the rise of Octavian Augustus in 27 BC, Rome became an Empire. A long period of prosperity (Pax Romana) followed, during which the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Baths of Caracalla were built, and roads such as the Appian Way were laid out. Rome reached its maximum splendor under Trajan and Hadrian, becoming a multicultural metropolis of over a million inhabitants.

Christian Rome and the Imperial Decline

In the first centuries of the Empire, Christianity spread despite persecution. In 313 AD Constantine granted freedom of worship, and in 380 AD Christianity became the official religion. Rome began a slow decline, culminating in the sack of the Visigoths (410) and the fall of the Western Empire (476 AD). The city remained a religious beacon, thanks to the growing authority of the Pope.

Medieval and Papal Rome

During the Middle Ages, Rome was the center of Christianity and the seat of papal power. Although in decline compared to the imperial era, it was a destination for pilgrimages from all over Europe. From the 9th century, the Popes also acquired temporal power, transforming Rome into the heart of the Papal States. Important basilicas arose, such as San Giovanni in Laterano and Santa Maria Maggiore.

Renaissance and Baroque

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Rome flourished artistically under the patronage of the Popes. It became a laboratory for artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini. Masterpieces such as St. Peter's Square, the Sistine Chapel, Palazzo Farnese, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona were built. The modern face of the city was largely born in this period.

From the Risorgimento to the capital of Italy

In 1870, Rome was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy, becoming the capital in 1871. This put an end to the temporal power of the Popes. The city was modernized, new neighborhoods, administrative buildings and major roads were opened. The relationship with the Church was definitively established only with the Lateran Pacts of 1929, which recognized the Vatican as an independent state.

Milan in the united Italy and the 20th century

With the unification of Italy (1861), Milan became a key industrial and financial hub. Important companies were born (Pirelli, Edison, Alfa Romeo) and the railways developed. In the 20th century, Milan was hit hard by the bombings of the Second World War. In the 1950s and 1960s it became the heart of the Italian “economic miracle” and of fashion, design and advertising.

Rome Today: Eternal City and Global Capital

Today Rome is a modern capital with over 2.8 million inhabitants. It is the seat of the Government, Parliament, the Holy See and numerous international organizations. It is also one of the most visited cities in the world for its archaeological, artistic and spiritual heritage, with unique monuments such as the Colosseum, the Forum, St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums.

Famous people born in Rome

Culture, art and literature

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720): engraver and architect.
Gabriele D'Annunzio (born in Pescara, but tied to Rome).
Alberto Moravia (1907): one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century.
Pier Paolo Pasolini (born in Bologna but lived and died in Rome).

Music

Anna Magnani (1908): actress symbol of Neorealism.
Monica Vitti (1931): intellectual diva of auteur cinema.
Claudio Amendola, Valerio Mastandrea, Carlo Verdone, Gigi Proietti: Roman icons of cinema and comedy.
Achille Lauro, Ultimo, Tommaso Paradiso: contemporary musical artists born in Rome.

SOME PHOTOS AND HISTORICAL POSTCARDS OF ROME