The name Italy (Italia) is an ancient name for the country and people of Southern Italy. The word ‘Italy’, in Greek, stands for the “Land of Cattle Calves or Veal”.
Etruscan was the first major civilization in Italy. Today, the Etruscan civilization is the name given to the culture and way of life of a community of ancient Italy, whom ancient Romans called ‘Etrusci’. The Etruscans are believed to have spoken a non-Indo-European language. History records state that the Etruscans were a sophisticated community who traded throughout the Mediterranean, from their base in Central Italy. The Etruscans were excellent architects, and this is reflected in their creations. The Etruscans occupied the north of Italy while the Greeks occupied the southern tip. This entire area later came to be known as Magna Grecia. After Magna Grecia, the Etruscan Civilization, especially the Roman Empire, dominated Italy.
Much of Rome’s empire crumbled under attack from invaders as it resulted in a substantial destruction of their cities. The Medieval struggles between the Popes, Emperors and Kings were followed by rivalry amongst the city-states. The Italian Renaissance referred as Rinascimento followed, resulting in some of the world’s most treasured works of art. Italy had a deep influensce on European science and art during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The advent of modern Italy is of recent origin. It began in the 19th century with Napolean Bonaparte as the ruler. Following this, there was a nationalist uprising led by Garibaldi that finally led to the creation of a united Italy, and Vittorio Emmanuele II was declared King of Italy. Monarchy thrived until the Second World War, when Mussolini and his Fascist party took sides with Germany and formed the ‘Axis ‘powers. With the downfall of Mussolini and the end of the world- war II, Italy set about a path of reformation and in 1948, the Republic of Italy was established. Italy today, is a charter member of NATO and the European Union. It joined the growing political and economic unification of Western Europe, including the introduction of the Euro currency in 1999.
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Italy Travel
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Italy, located in southern Europe, is one of the most favored destinations for tourists from all over the world. It is also popularly called “the boot” due to its geographical shape. There is no dearth of places tourists can travel to in this small country,...
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Map of Italy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Italy, officially known as the Republic of Italy, is situated in the southern part of Europe. It covers an area of approximately 301,225 sq km. Italy is situated at 42xba50xb4 North of the Equator, and longitudinally at 12xba 50xb4East of Greenwich. Rome is the capital...
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Venice Italy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Venice in Italy is almost instantly associated with gondolas and the canals. It is the capital of Venetia and of Venice province, located in the northeastern Italy. It has been built on the 118 alluvial islets that lie within a lagoon in the Gulf of...
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What You Need To Know About Italy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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For tourists from all over the world, Italy is an attractive destination because of its good architecture, water canals with condoles, emerging fashion trends and popular cuisine such as spaghetti and pizza. The capital city of Italy is Rome and Italian is the official language...
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Airline Flights To Italy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Italy, recognizable in the world map as the boot-shaped Italian peninsula in southern Europe, has quite a few attractions that ensure a steady tourist traffic..The independent countries of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclosed within Italian territory. The description of its beauty and...
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Train Travel In Italy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Traveling by train is an efficient, safe and enjoyable way to travel Italy. It also proves to cost-effective. A large number of trains cover almost every nook and cranny of this small country. If you are visiting Rome, Florence or some other large cities, it...
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Italy Travel Guide
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Italy can be ranked as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, so there is an abundance of information available for anyone who wants to travel to Italy. Italy travel guides can be broadly classified into two categories–the first category includes those...
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Italy Vacations
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Italy has been a favored holiday spot for tourists the world over and vacationing in Italy can be an unforgettable experience. There are many places in Italy that arouse interest and the prominent among them are the cities of Rome, Milan and Venice. These cities...
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Ancient Greece
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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The Greek civilization is considered by historians as the first one in the history of mankind. A study of their archeological remains confirms that the ancient Greeks were a highly developed community. Their lifestyle and inventions indicate a high sense of order and aesthetics. The...
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Golf Travel Italy
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Italy, owing to its great landscapes, has several golf courses all over the country. While traveling within Italy, one can play golf in the mountains, by the sea, in and around historical cities and in many of the tourist resorts. Golfing near the lakes of...