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The
Beginning
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. »
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Middle
Ages
Unfortunately the initial
prosperity of Florence was short lived.
The burgeoning population was suddenly
stunted by numerous invasions such as
Ostrogoths, the Byzantines and the Lombards.
When the Roman Empire collapsed in the
5th century it affected its economic life.
Trading stopped and was diverted away
from Arno Valley and the population slowly
dwindled. It was at this time that the
construction of the Santa Reparata began.
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Medici
The Medici family was a prosperous family of bankers and merchants
who came to power in 1434 under Cosimo
il Vecchio (the Elder) when there was
great cultural progress. The reign of
Lorenzo the Magnificent, grandson of Cosimo
was the period known as Florence Renaissance.
Botticelli, da Vinci, Ghirlandaio and
Michelangelo Buonarroti were some of the
famous names of Florence. Arts and architecture
flourished.
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