History of the city of Florence Essays -- Italy European History Essay

History of the city of Florence In the entire scope of history there are few civilizations that have left their own unique imprint upon the rest of the world as well as influencing future generations like the city of Florence. Only a handful of nations can claim the cultural, financial, social, and artistic accomplishments that this city can. Throughout the history of approximately three thousand years Florence has proven to be an impressively resilient civilization that takes pride in itself and has been a leader in Italy and worldwide. From the founding Etruscan people, to Dante and Boccaccio, to the Medici family the Florentine people have proven themselves to be remarkable in many areas of life. This paper will trace the different stages of the Florentine civilization from its foundations, to its emergence from the Middle Ages, to the period of the Renaissance, and finally to its transition to become part of the nation of Italy. Early Florence The first people to settle the area that was to become Florence were the Etruscans who probably arrived around 1,000 B.C. by sea from Asia Minor.[i]? Current day archeologists and historians think fighting was common to the area because the Etruscans settled in walled cities built on high, unapproachable hills which would be hard to attack. Fiesole was one such city which was conquerored by the Romans around 300 B.C. along with the surrounding areas. As is turned out, this defeat was beneficial to the native people because it provided secure trade routes protected by the Roman military. The ability to travel and trade more freely prompted these people to move their civilization to the banks of the Arno River not far from the site of modern day Florence.[ii]... ...ucker, p. 58. [xxi] Lweis, p. 140. [xxii] Levey, p. 180. [xxiii] Levey, p. 236. [xxiv]? Colonel G.F. Young, The Medici (New York; Modern Library, 1933), p. 286. [xxv] Levey, p. 254. [xxvi] Levey, p. 256. [xxvii] Young, p. 332. [xxviii] Young, p. 364. [xxix] Levey, p. 321. [xxx] J. Lucas-Dubreton, Daily Life in Florence In the Time of the Medici (New York; MacMillan, 1961), p.? 287. [xxxi] Levey, p. 332. [xxxii]? George Holmes ed., The Oxford History of Italy (Oxford; Oxford Univ Press, 1997), p. 115. [xxxiii] Holmes, p. 115. [xxxiv] Holmes, p. 116. [xxxv] Holmes, p. 126. [xxxvi] Levey, p. 432. [xxxvii] Levey, p. 440. [xxxviii] Levey, p. 432. [xxxix] Levey, p. 456. [xl] Lewis, p. 182. [xli] Lewis, p. 183. [xlii] Levey, p. 456. [xliii] Lewis, p. 189. [xliv] Holmes, p. 229. [xlv] Holmes, p. 215.