Emilia-Romagna is a very homogeneous geographical territory marked by settlements of different ethnic groups. It's been a large crossroad for peoples and civilizations. Human presence is testified from the beginning of Paleolithic. Two Venus figurines dated from Upper Paleolithic were found close to Modena and Reggio Emilia. A northern culture called Fiorano developed around V Century. Other settlements however were in contact with the group from Vho. In the southern area or Emilia Romagna developed the so called Adriatic Impressed Ceramic civilization.
From the Bronze Age settlements of Terramare culture developed in the west as well as Appenine's civilization in the east. At the end of XIII Century Terramare civilization vanished for no clear reasons and the area around Bologna became crucial first to Villanovan civilization and second for Etruscans' who spread through the whole region and made Emilia Romagna a main trading center.
Romans came in III Century and based some settlements along Via Aemilia. In Augustus age the region were included in the Regio VIII. Later it was split in two different zones: the west became Emilia with Bologna as its capitol and the east became Flaminia with Ravenna that turned into a strategic center and switched into Empire's headquarter in 402 AD.
Roman port of Classe was one of the most important port for docking in the ancient world. It was at the mouth of the canal-port at about 4 km from the city of Ravenna. In the V century it was at its height right when Civitas Classis - of which Ravenna was the capital - became a main center with an access to the sea both for trading and military activities.…
Kainua, was an ancient Etruscan city built on the Pian di Misano and on the rise of Misanello, in the territory of the current municipality of Marzabotto. It was one of the most important city-states of the Etruscan region, together with Felsina (nowadays Bologna) and Spina.…
Roman Veleia is one of the main archaeological site in Emilia Romagna and one of the major ancient Roman site in the north of Italy. The city was a flourishing Roman town. The area has been inhabited since Iron age, then Romans snatched it from Ligurian people who has settled there.…
Tasting Italy. A culinary Journey.
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