Archaeological findings date the earliest of human presence in the region at 20,000 BC. Since then, till now, it’s been a story of rich intrigue, legendary conquerors, a manic dictator, and religious and cultural splendour.

Till the Phoenicians and Greeks settled Sicily and southern Italy around 700 BC, the region only saw passing tribes of nomadic people. The Greeks and Phoenicians brought to the region some degree of cultural sophistication, and the Etruscans who settled around Tuscany in 600 BC were similarly advanced, making bold endeavours in trade, art and agriculture.

As various new city-states came up in different parts of the area, fierce rivalries developed over trade and territory. Rome grew to be the strongest and most successful of these, its influence spreading first across the neighbouring city-states, then further till the remarkable feat that was the Roman Empire came to be achieved. By defeating Carthage and Sicily in the Punic Wars (264-146 BC) Rome firmly stamped its authority on the region. Social and economic inequalities within Roman society only became further accentuated as Rome’s success grew, with the upper classes benefiting from the new glory, resulting in a commoners’ movement that eventually changed the entire system of governance. The Triumvirate came to head government and of the three leaders, the man who is the stuff of legend, Julius Caesar, became the most powerful. He was the founder of the most influential Roman dynasty and his successors included the likes of Octavian a.k.a. Augustus Caesar and Nero. The Flavian Dynasty inherited the Rome that had proverbially burnt as Nero fiddled, ruling from AD 69 to 117. The Antonines, who ruled till AD 193, followed them.

The Empire had reached its pinnacle in the rule of Trajan (AD 98 to 117). But after him it had to constantly contend with attacking Central Asian ‘barbarians’, whose war of attrition culminated in the sacking of Rome in AD 410. In 476 the Ostrogoth, Odoacer crowned himself king. Chaos marked these the Dark Ages with foreign powers like the Normans, the Franks and the Lombards controlling various regions.

Christianity first came to Rome in the 3^rd Century and was met with fervent persecution till Emperor Constantine declared it the state religion in AD 315. The Papacy was handed over temporal rights in the period of Norman, Lombardic and Francine influence because it enabled the consecration and legitimising of their rule. The disintegration of this understanding unleashed a fresh power struggle.

The fall of Constantinople heralded the rebirth of cultural rigour in art, architecture, sculpture and literature. Europe entered the era of Renaissance, Italy leading from the front. By the 18^th century, Italian city-states were embroiled in the struggle for power among Spain, France and Austria. The unification of Italy under Garibaldi by 1861 and the crowning of Vittorio Emanuel II in 1870 marked the coming into being of the entity that today is the remarkable nation of Italy.

In the First World War, Italy fought on the side of the Allies. The aftermath of war and the great economic Depression proved fertile soil for the seeds of Benito Mussolini’s fascist politics. Il Duce (The Leader) allied with Nazi Germany in the Second World War, but was captured and hanged in Milan when the Allied forces overran Italy in 1943-45.

After the war, Italy voted to be a republican country with mixed results. The 55 years since have seen no less than 58 heads of government. Problems with influential Mafiosi and their parallel economy and authority persist. The economy has hit deep lows and soaring highs. The active Leftist movement is no longer as influential as in its 60s heyday. Membership of European Monetary Union marked a high point in the recent years of economic crisis, which seem to be letting up somewhat. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC) and joined the growing political and economic unification of Western Europe, accepting the Euro in 1999.