12/30/23 Started the day with a quick history of Florence: Foundation of Florence: Roman Florence, about year 0 to 500 AD 1st-2nd cent CE:Fiorentia grows into a minor Roman city 59 BC: Rome a Republic, not yet Empire, about 20,000 people (amphitheater would hold); military camp, grew into a city. Roman towns are exactly the same: grid plan, forum, bath complex, theater, etc., city walls, amphitheater is now Santa Croce; pieces of Roman Florence do exist; forum is now Piazza della Republica 312 Constantine legalized Christianity Gothic (northern european) invasions by end of 300s 476, end of Roman Empire; 405, Fiorentina–Chritian god helped them beat a Gothic invasion; the entire population were immediately converted to Christianity; build first church in Fiorentia Early Medieval Florence, about 500 to 800/1000 AD: end of Romans, ‘dark ages’ 400s-50
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