| In 59 B. C. during
the time of Caesar a colony was established
on the banks of River Arno, where retired
servicemen and legionnaires were housed.
It was called Colonia Florentia, meaning
the "blossoming colony". In the next 200
years Florence developed and grew into
an important trading centre as it was
connected to all the important cities
of the then province of Etruria and was
situated on Via Cassia that ran from Rome
to Florence to Lucca. And the presence
of River Arno also made sea routes possible
through the Mediterranean. In fact it
was through the sea route that Christianity
first came to Florence through Eastern
tradesmen.
After A.D. 300, Christianity
started spreading rapidly and the 4th
century saw the construction of the first
two Christian churches: San Lorenzo and
Santa Felicita.
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