History

Italy, united in 1861, has significantly contributed to the cultural and social development of the entire Mediterranean area, deeply influencing European culture as well. Important cultures and civilizations have existed there since prehistoric times.

Culturally and linguistically, the origins of Italian history can be traced in the 9th century BCE, when earliest accounts date the presence of Italic tribes in modern central Italy. Linguistics they are divided into: Oscans , Umbrians and Latins. Later the Latin culture became dominant, as Rome emerged as dominant city around 350 BCE.

Other pre-Roman civilizations include Magna Graecia in Southern Italy and the earlier Etruscan civilization, which flourished between 900 and 100 BCE in the Center North.

Roman Republic and Empire that dominated this part of the world for many centuries came an Italy whose people would make immeasurable contributions to the development of European philosophy, science, and art during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Dominated by city-states for much of the medieval and Renaissance period, the Italian peninsula, Italy also experienced several foreign dominations. Parts of Italy were annexed to the the Austrian empire, the Spanish empire and Napoleon's empire, while the Vatican mantained control over the central part of it, before the Peninsula was eventually liberated and unified amidst much struggle in the 19th and 20th centuries.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia