“Italy, a land that is the nursling and mother of all other lands. Italy was chosen by the divine inspiration of the gods to enhance the renown of heaven itself...to give mankind civilization. To put it succinctly, Italy was to become the sole parent of all races throughout the world.”How lucky the world is that Italy has ever existed! The Italians will not settle for just four empires: a new Renaissance and a fifth empire is developing throughout the world in music, fashion, automobiles as well as anything that says “Made in Italy”, which is synonymous with both quality and beauty. This is especially evident in America, the very land Italians discovered in the first place. Italy has a glorious past. The past is always a mirror into the future and it shows a history so filled with splendor, it shakes the very essence of our souls.
In this article the reader will see the magnificence of Italy and how Italy has given the world not one, but four great empires.
First Empire: The Roman Empire
The Roman Empire, one of the greatest empires known to man. All marvel at the history of the Pantheon or the Coliseum, filled with gladiators and chariot races while thousands of spectators looked on. Names like Julius Caesar, Virgil, Nero, Cicero and Marcus Aurelius jump out at everyone as they read of the awesome power they once held. The Romans were the greatest architects and builders in ancient history and it is fascinates us that their larger than life achievements came out of a world that was void of the technology we enjoy today.
They gave us the arch, the dome and concrete, taken for granted in today’s world and yet so awe inspiring. The building of the Coliseum and the magnificent aqueducts are wonders to modern man, structural masterpieces still standing, reminding the world of the glory that was Rome. Their roads are still in use. They had heating and a sewer system and running water. They had schools and hospitals and most of all, lavish bathhouses. They brought civilization to the very worlds in which they conquered. There was an unparalleled peace in the world for several centuries. Known as the pax romana, the Romans brought this peace and along with it, civilization and culture to the entire western world. All roads, in fact, did lead to Rome.
Second Empire: Christianity
The second empire is Christianity. The largest organized religion in the world had its beginnings in Rome. Christianity arose in 1st century Palestine, but it spread from Rome, which was the spiritual capital of Christianity since the days of St. Peter. The religion would continue to grow as the Romans themselves began to have a certain admiration for the followers of Christianity, who chose such horrible deaths for their beliefs. Emperor Constantine became a Christian and the church became even more popular. Through the structure of the Empire, Christianity would flourish. Later, under Emperor Theodosius’ reign, all Romans were made to become Christians.
The concept and development of Christendom, which arose in the Middle Ages, had its roots in the Christian Roman Empire. For nearly 2,000 years Rome has remained the spiritual capital of Christendom. Millions of people still travel to the Eternal City to honor the Church. There is no doubting that Christianity, in itself, is an empire and it owes its thanks to Rome.
Italy gave the western world two wonderful empires, but it still had not reached its zenith.
Third Empire: The Renaissance
The Italians of the fourteenth and fifteenth century were trying to recapture the glory days of Rome. Originating in the city of Florence, the Italians enlightened the world with the Rinascimento or Renaissance. Art, literature, engineering, exploration and other expressions flourished in Italy. Masters, the likes of which the world still reveres, were everywhere in Renaissance Italy. The period brought forth Italian geniuses and artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Raphael, Donatello, Brunelleschi and, during the same time, Dante and Machiavelli were inspiring the world. Explorers like Columbus, Vespucci and Caboto were discovering new worlds and Galileo was teaching new scientific ideas. To think of the brilliance that came out of Italy during the same period in history is mind boggling.
During this period, countries such as France learned more from Italy than any other country. Catherine de' Medici brought the art of cooking to the French when she married Henry II in 1533. All the kings of France were impressed with the achievements of the Italians and wanted to share them. Spanish rulers, like Queen Isabella, would drape themselves in Italian influence and genius. German and English universities were teaching Italian art, music and thought. Opera and ballet was created in Florence and became popular throughout Europe. Italy would later give the world Vivaldi, Verdi and Rossini. Words and phrases pertaining to music are Italian and nowhere was Italian influence more evident than that art. In fact, it was an Italian monk who gave the world the musical scale. Guido d'Arezzo taught the world how to record music while Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the piano and Andrea Amati, the violin.
The Renaissance had become Italy's third empire. The Renaissance was as much an empire as Rome and Christianity, and it changed the thinking and direction of the entire world. As the ancient Italians did in civilizing the planet under Rome, the Renaissance Italians now gave it culture.
Fourth Empire: The New World
The Age of Exploration! Four great Italian navigators changed the world forever. Columbus discovered America for the Spanish, Caboto colonized it for the English and Verrazzano would chart it for everybody. Meanwhile the New World itself would also be named after another Italian navigator, Amerigo Vespucci.
Italians not only found America, they helped build the new world while saturating it with Roman influence. Italian missionaries brought religion, medicine, education and civilization to the natives of the New World. Meanwhile, the English colonists attempted to imitate Rome in developing a government that would bring peace and prosperity to her citizens. Thomas Jefferson, who read Latin and Italian, revered Italy and Rome. His closest friend and neighbor was Filippo Mazzei. This political thinker and writer taught Jefferson exiting forms of government. His writings were so influential that Jefferson read all of Mazzei's papers on political theory. In fact, the phrase “all men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence of the United States was directly copied from Mazzei's axiom that “All men are from nature free and independent”.
Cesare Beccaria, an Italian philosopher from eighteenth century Milan, was also very instrumental in the way the Americans structured their new country. His most important work, titled Crimes and Punishment, was read by both Jefferson and Quincy Adams, who had copies written in Italian and in English. The capital of Washington D.C. meanwhile was built by Italian builders and the resemblance to Roman architecture was no accident. Constantino Brumidi brought his creative genius to Washington by painting all the frescoes in the White House's Rotunda and would forever be known as the “Michelangelo of the White House”.
The Anglo-Americans imitated the Roman Senate and adopted the symbol of the Roman Eagle. The intellectual thought, culture and civilization they relied upon was that of Italy, both ancient and modern. These four empires came from the hearts and minds of Italian genius and no other nation can claim such enormous contributions to the world.
