意大利~~~一問

History
Main article: History of Italy
Excavations throughout Italy have unearthed proof of humans presence in Italy dating back to the Palaeolithic period (the "Old Stone Age") some 200,000 years ago.

Greek migrations as early as 600 BC saw many Greek intelligentsia migrate to Western Europe — especially to Italy, including Pythagoras who built his University at Crotone, Calabria, Italy.

Italy has influenced the cultural and social development of the whole Mediterranean area, deeply influencing European culture as well. As a result, it has also influenced other important cultures. Such cultures and civilisations have existed there since prehistoric times. After Magna Graecia, the Etruscan civilisation and especially the Roman Republic and Empire that dominated this part of the world for many centuries, Italy was central to European science and art during the Renaissance.


The Colosseum in Rome, perhaps the most enduring symbol of Italy
Rome and the Middle Ages
Main articles: Ancient Rome and Italy in the Middle Ages
Centre of the Roman civilization for centuries, Italy lost its unity after the collapse of the Roman Empire and subsequent barbarian invasions. Conquered by the Ostrogoths and briefly regained by the Eastern Empire (552), it was partially occupied by the Longobards in 568, resulting in the peninsula becoming irreparably divided. For centuries the country was the prey of different populations, resulting in its ultimate decadence and misery. Most of the population fled from cities to take refuge in the countryside under the protection of powerful feudal lords. After the Longobards came the Franks (774). Italy became part of the Holy Roman Empire. Pippin the Short created the first nucleus of the State of the Church, which later became a strong countervailing force against any unification of the country.

Population and economy started slowly to pick up after 1000, with the resurgence of cities (which organized themselves politically in Comuni), trade, arts and literature. During the later Middle Ages the partially democratic Comuni, which could not face the challenges of that period, were substituted by monarchic-absolutistic governments (Signorie), but the fragmentation of the peninsula, especially in the northern and central parts of the country, continued, while the southern part, with Naples, Apulia and Sicily, remained under a single domination. Venice and Genoa created powerful commercial empires in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea.









IT"S TOO MUCH < PLS GO TO THE WEB ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy#History

意大利全年都佈滿了宗教、文化和歷史節慶。復活節前的威尼斯有盛大的嘉年華會，聖周復活節(Holy Week Easter)期間塔蘭托(Taranto)、契提(Chieti)和西西里島(Sicily)的巡遊隊伍尤其華麗，而佛羅倫斯會在復活節那天在手推車上放煙花。紀念守護神的節日也同樣多姿多彩，例如巴瑞(Bari )的聖妮歌拉節(Fiestas di San Nicola)、那不勒斯的聖格那羅節(San Gennaro)、阿布魯佐(Abruzzo)在5月的蛇節(Festival of Snakes)和帕多瓦(Padua)在6月的聖安托尼奧節(Fiesta of Sant'Antonio in Padua)。紀念傳統歷史事件的節日包括5月時在古比歐(Gubbio)的燭光賽跑(Race of the Candles)和弓箭比賽(Palio of the Crossbow)，撒丁尼亞的騎兵隊(Sardinian Cavalcade)，6月時的Regata of the Four Ancient Maritime Republics(在比薩，威尼斯、阿瑪爾費（Amalfi）和熱那亞輪回舉行)，7至8月在錫耶納(Siena)舉行的賽馬節( Il Palio)以及9月在威尼斯舉行的歷史賽船(Venice's Historic Regatta)。