1.
Elbe
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The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia, then Germany and its total length is 1,094 kilometres. The Elbes major tributaries include the rivers Vltava, Saale, Havel, Mulde, Schwarze Elster, the Elbe river basin, comprising the Elbe and its tributaries, has a catchment area of 148,268 square kilometres, the fourth largest in Europe. The basin spans four countries, with its largest parts in Germany, much smaller parts lie in Austria and Poland. The basin is inhabited by 24.5 million people, the Elbe rises at an elevation of about 1,400 metres in the Krkonoše on the northwest borders of the Czech Republic near Labská bouda. Of the numerous small streams whose waters compose the infant river, here the Elbe enters the vast vale named Polabí, and continues on southwards through Hradec Králové and then to Pardubice, where it turns sharply to the west. At Kolín some 43 kilometres further on, it bends gradually towards the north-west, at the village of Káraný, a little above Brandýs nad Labem, it picks up the Jizera. At Mělník its stream is more than doubled in volume by the Vltava, or Moldau, upstream from the confluence the Vltava is in fact much longer, and has a greater discharge and a larger drainage basin. Some distance lower down, at Litoměřice, the waters of the Elbe are tinted by the reddish Ohře, in its northern section both banks of the Elbe are characterised by flat, very fertile marshlands, former flood plains of the Elbe now diked. At Magdeburg there is a viaduct, the Magdeburg Water Bridge, from the sluice of Geesthacht on downstream the Elbe is subject to the tides, the tidal Elbe section is called the Low Elbe. Within the city-state the Unterelbe has a number of streams, such as Dove Elbe, Gose Elbe, Köhlbrand, Northern Elbe, Reiherstieg. Some of which have been disconnected for vessels from the stream by dikes. In 1390 the Gose Elbe was separated from the stream by a dike connecting the two then-islands of Kirchwerder and Neuengamme. The Dove Elbe was diked off in 1437/38 at Gammer Ort and these hydraulic engineering works were carried out to protect marshlands from inundation, and to improve the water supply of the Port of Hamburg. The Northern Elbe passes the Elbe Philharmonic Hall and is then crossed under by the old Elbe Tunnel, a bit more downstream the Low Elbes two main anabranches Northern Elbe and the Köhlbrand reunite south of Altona-Altstadt, a locality of Hamburg. Right after both anabranches reunited the Low Elbe is passed under by the New Elbe Tunnel, the last structural road link crossing the river before the North Sea. At the bay Mühlenberger Loch in Hamburg at kilometre 634, the Northern Elbe and the Southern Elbe used to reunite, leaving the city-state the Lower Elbe then passes between Holstein and the Elbe-Weser Triangle with Stade until it flows into the North Sea at Cuxhaven. Near its mouth it passes the entrance to the Kiel Canal at Brunsbüttel before it debouches into the North Sea, the Elbe has been navigable by commercial vessels since 1842, and provides important trade links as far inland as Prague
2.
Ebla
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Ebla, was one of the earliest kingdoms in Syria. Its remains constitute a tell located about 55 km southwest of Aleppo near the village of Mardikh, Ebla was an important center throughout the third millennium BC and in the first half of the second millennium BC. Karl Moore described the first Eblaite kingdom as the first recorded world power, starting as a small settlement in the early Bronze Age, Ebla developed into a trading empire and later into an expansionist power that imposed its hegemony over much of northern and eastern Syria. Ebla was destroyed during the 23rd century BC, it was rebuilt and was mentioned in the records of the Third Dynasty of Ur. The second Ebla was a continuation of the first, ruled by a new royal dynasty and it was destroyed at the end of the third millennium BC, which paved the way for the Amorite tribes to settle in the city, forming the third Ebla. The third kingdom also flourished as a center, it became a subject. Ebla maintained its prosperity through a vast trading network, artifacts from Sumer, Cyprus, Egypt and as far as Afghanistan were recovered from the citys palaces. The kingdom had its own language, Eblaite and the organization of Ebla had features different from the Sumerian model. Women enjoyed a status and the queen had major influence in the state. The pantheon of gods was mainly north Semitic and included deities exclusive to Ebla, the city was excavated starting in 1964, and became famous for the Ebla tablets, an archive of about 20,000 cuneiform tablets found there, dated to around 2350 BC. A possible meaning of the word Ebla is white rock, referring to the outcrop on which the city was built. Ebla was first settled around 3500 BC, its growth was supported by many agricultural settlements. The city benefited from its role as an entrepôt of growing international trade, archaeologists designate this early habitation period Mardikh I, it ended around 3000 BC. Mardikh I is followed by the first and second kingdoms era between about 3000 and 2000 BC, designated Mardikh II. I. J. Gelb consider Ebla as part of the Kish civilization, the early period between 3000 and 2400 BC is designated Mardikh IIA. General knowledge about the history prior to the written archives is obtained through excavations. The first stages of Mardikh IIA is identified with building CC, and structures form a part of building G2. Toward the end of period, a hundred years war with Mari started
3.
Tuscan Archipelago
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The Tuscan Archipelago is a chain of islands between the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, west of Tuscany, Italy. The islands proximity to major cities has made them a favourite tourist location. History and literature have ensured that most people are familiar with the islands of Elba, the Archipelago extends to 166 kilometres from the northernmost Island of Gorgona to the southernmost Giannutri and 56 kilometres from the western Island of Capraia to the Tuscan coast. The origin of the dates to the Triassic period according to the type of the rocks. The Würm glaciation was followed by a phase, and the sea rose slowly to reach its current level. The archipelago is distinguished by some endemism which are protected in order to avoid the loss of the biodiversity of fauna, the Falco peregrinus brookei nests at Elba and Capraia, the shearwater and the rare Audouins gull are common in all the islands. Rich productivity of the coastal waters provide habitats for marine life even whales and dolphins including fin. The archipelago is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with high insolation all year round, the archipelago’s flora change from island to island, the smaller have a vegetation similar each other as the macchia mediterranea and the garrigue formed by evergreen plants. The Elba have a complex orography and a relevant mountain as the Mount Capanne which favoured the preservation of the chestnut, the holm oak, Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy,10 kilometres from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano National Park and it is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, about 50 kilometres east of the French island of Corsica. Isola del Giglio is an Italian island and comune situated in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of Tuscany, the island is one of seven that form the Tuscan Archipelago, lying within the Arcipelago Toscano National Park. The island has a population of about 400, Montecristo is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and part of the Tuscan Archipelago. Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Portoferraio in the province of Livorno, the island has an area of 10.39 km2 and is approximately 4.3 km wide at its widest point, the coasts are steep, and extend for 16 km. The island is a nature reserve and forms part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. The small island of Pianosa, about 10.25 km2 in area, has a perimeter of 26 km. Gorgona is the northernmost island in the Tuscan Archipelago, between Corsica and Livorno, this diminutive island has been valued most for its wildlife, especially marine birds, and its isolation. The latter quality resulted in the foundation of Gorgona Abbey in the Middle Ages, after its closure the monastery grounds and buildings were appropriated in 1869, at the foundation of an agricultural penal colony, which is currently in use. The Formiche di Grosseto is a group of islets which emerge sharply in the Tuscan Archipelago, palmaiola is an islet placed in the middle of Piombino Channel, at 3 kilometres from Elba and 7 kilometres from Piombino, it is part of the comune of Rio Marina
4.
Pianosa
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The small island of Pianosa, about 10.25 km2 in area, has a coastal perimeter of 26 km and forms part of Italys Tuscan Archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea. In Roman times the island was named Planasia because of its flatness - its highest point stands at 29 m above sea level and it is a triangular-shaped land mass 14 km south west of Elba, and is a frazione of the municipality of Campo nellElba. The vegetation consists mainly of Mediterranean species as lentisco, fennel, juniperus, rosemary and pinus halepensis, the island is a stopping place for migrating birds in their seasonal passage from North to South. The sea around Pianosa is rich in fish because the coast was unapproachable for a long time, grouper, dory, dentex, moray, crawfish and many other species of fish inhabit the seas around the island. Fishing tools and ceramic of the Mesolithic were found as well as artefacts in quartz, the ancient Romans Planasia had buildings and was extensively cultivated. It became noted in history when the princeps Augustus banished his grandson, Postumus remained there until his murder by an assassin sent by Tiberius, around the death of Augustus in 14 AD. In the 4th century a small Christian community lived in Pianosa and these are on two levels and are the largest north of Rome,700 catacombs were discovered, indicating a fair number of residents. Pisa had the island in custody after the victory in a battle in those waters occurred in 874. In the Middle Ages the islands ownership was disputed by Pisa, in 1238 Genoa sent troops on the island supposing the inhabitants exercised the piracy, destroyed the village and the fortifications built by the Pisans and made prisoners the 150 inhabitants. Pianosa returned shortly after to Pisa, but Genoa had the supremacy of the Tyrrhenian Sea after the Battle of Meloria, the island returned to Pisan control under an agreement that required the Pisans leave it uncultivated and uninhabited, but the pact was not honoured. The Appiano family, who ruled Pisa, gave the island on rent to the family De Leis then to the Landi in 1344. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain on August 15,1552 consigned to Cosimo I de Medici the Principality of Piombino in exchange of a loan of 200,000 scudi. On April 9,1809 the Archipelago returned to Tuscany, which was ruled by the French, on 10 May British marines and sailors from HMS Seahorse and HMS Halcyon landed on Pianosa, the landing parties destroyed the forts and captured about 100 prisoners during four hours of fighting. British losses were one killed and one wounded. The landing party also sent the farmers back to Elba and left the island a desert, napoleon went to Pianosa from Elba twice, rebuilt the tower, emplaced a garrison to defend the island, and built some houses to settle farmers. The Congress of Vienna assigned Elba and the Tuscan Archipelago to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. In 1864 a structure able to contain 350 prisoners was built, the captives cultivated cereals, produced oil and wine as Sangiovese and Procanico, there were poultry, pigs, and cattle farms. From 1884 until 1965 Pianosa, because of its dry climate, hosted convicts, coming from all over Italy, at the beginning of the 1900s, the population on the island was 21 civilians,80 prison guards,40 soldiers, and 800 prisoners
5.
Montecristo
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Montecristo, formerly Oglasa, is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and part of the Tuscan Archipelago. Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Portoferraio in the province of Livorno, Italy. The island has an area of 10.39 km2, it is approximately 4.1 km wide at its widest point and is 3.4 km long, the coasts are steep, and extend for 16 km. The island is a nature reserve and forms part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. Much of the fame is derived from the fact that it provides the setting for part of the novel The Count of Monte Cristo. The history of the island begins with the Iron Age, the Etruscans exploited the forests of oak needed to fuel the bloomeries of the mainland where the iron ore of Elbas mines was melted. The Greeks gave Montecristo its oldest known name, Oglasa or Ocrasia, the Romans, however, knew it under the name Mons Jovis, and erected an altar to Iuppiter Optimus Maximus on the highest mountain, of which some traces remain. During the imperial age, the Romans opened some quarries to extract granite, perhaps used in the construction of villas on the islands of Giglio, Elba, and Giannutri. Around the middle of the fifth century AD, the caves of the island home to several hermits escaping from the Vandals of Genseric. They christened the island Mons Christi, from which the name is derived. At the beginning of the century, Pope Gregory the Great submitted them to the monastic rule of the Benedictines. In 1216, the joined the order of the Camaldolese. Thanks to the donations of several families, the monastery became powerful and rich. The island was once a possession of Pisa, but was acquired by the Principality of Piombino. In 1553, Ottoman pirate Dragut, heading for Elba, stormed the monastery, enslaved the monks, after that, the island was uninhabited. In the second half of the century, together with most of the Tuscan Archipelago, it became part of the Stato dei Presidi. The island was annexed to the French Empire under Napoleon, after his fall, the first attempts to colonise Monte Cristo, at the time owned by Charles Cambiagi, were made in 1840 by two German hermits, Augustin Eulhardt and Joseph Keim, who eventually abandoned the attempt. In 1843, other people arrived with the intention of cultivating the island, young Tyrolean Adolph Franz Obermüller, also during 1843, there were other attempts of colonisation by French agriculturalist George Guiboud, which ended with yet another failure
6.
Isola del Giglio
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Isola del Giglio is an Italian island and comune situated in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of Tuscany, and is part of the Province of Grosseto. The island is one of seven that form the Tuscan Archipelago, the island is separated by a 16-kilometre stretch of sea from the nearest point of the mainland, the promontory of Monte Argentario. Mainly mountainous, it consists almost entirely of granite, culminating in the Poggio della Pagana, ninety percent of its surface is covered by Mediterranean vegetation, alternating with large pine forests and numerous vineyards which allow the production of the local Ansonaco wine. The coast is 27 kilometres long, made up of rocks, smooth cliffs and several bays, Arenella, Cannelle, Caldane and Campese, the municipality is composed of the islands of Giglio and Giannutri. Three principal settlements are located on the island, Giglio Porto, located on the eastern coastal side. It is divided into the quarters of Chiesa, Moletto and Saraceno, Giglio Castello, located upon a hill between the two other localities and characterized by the majestic walls of a fortress. It is divided into the quarters of Casamatta, Centro, Cisterna, Giglio Campese, it is located on the north-western coastal side and is a modern sea resort. The modern island was formed probably 4.5 to 5 million years ago, later, it was probably an Etruscan military stronghold. Wondering, Igiliums wooded heights I view Afar, and must not cheat them of the praise Due to their fame. In 1241, the Sicilian and Pisan fleet of Emperor Frederick II destroyed a Genoese fleet in the Battle of Giglio, from 1264, Isola del Giglio was a Pisan dominion, from which it passed to the Medici family. It suffered several Saracen attacks, which ended only in 1799, on 14 June 1646, Grand Admiral Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé was killed at the Battle of Orbetello, at sunset on his flagship the Grand Saint Louis. Alongside its history, the island was always renowned for its ore, many columns. The island houses the remains of a Roman villa of Domitius Ahenobarbus, no traces of the once existing Temple of Diana can be seen now. The church of San Pietro Apostolo in Giglio Castello has a crucifix attributed to the sculptor Giambologna. The island is also the site of an Etruscan shipwreck dating back to the early Iron age, the cargo of the ship included copper and lead ingots, iron spits, amphorae and a Corinthian helmet. Even a wooden writing tablet with stylus was preserved, the finds are almost completely lost now. Isola del Giglio is connected to Tuscany by ferries Toremar and Maregiglio, in 2012, the island received prolonged international media attention, following the 13 January 2012 running aground of the cruise liner Costa Concordia, just off the islands shore. Most of the more than 4,200 passengers and crew were rescued and taken to the island, at least 30 people died and 64 were injured, with 2 missing. The people of the rushed to help, providing hot drinks and blankets
7.
Giannutri
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The island has a coastal perimeter of 11 km, is stretched approximately 2.8 km from Punta del Capo Rosso to Punta Secca and 2 km from Punta San Francesco to Punta della Salvezza. The island landscape has three hills, Poggio del Cannone and Monte Mario in the part and Poggio Capel Rosso. The island’s flora is prevalently a high macchia mediterranea in the part which become garrigue in the southern. The mild climate has favoured the growth of such as euphorbia, palm trees. The marine flora is abundant in sponges, madreporaria, black coral, the island, as all that of the Tuscan Archipelago, is a place where the bird migration take a stop along their seasonal movement from North to South. The Audouins gull, Puffinus yelkouan, Black-eared wheatear, Marmoras warbler, Giannutri was mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historiae and by the Latin geographer Pomporio Mela in his Dechorographia. The island was inhabited by Romans of which are the vestiges of a magnificent Roman villa, remained locked for almost 15 years, in 1806 a small military garrison was sent on the island. On 10 May 1809, a party from HMS Seahorse and HMS Halcyon landed on the Pianosa. The landing party destroyed the forts and captured about 100 prisoners during four hours of fighting. British losses were one killed and one wounded. The Minister of Finances Quintino Sella, with a Royal decree, in 1908 the Comune sold the island to the family Ruffo della Scaletta which remained the owner until the death of the Prince Rufo. In the 1960s and 1970s the real estate investing transformed radically the island, in a few years an holiday resort at Cala Spalmatoio and many houses scattered through the island were built. The Società Porto Romano declared bankruptcy and the owners of the houses were obliged to form a society, called Libero Consorzio Giannutri. Villa Domizia, also known as Villa Domitia was built probably in the 1st or 2nd century by the Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus who was the owner of the island. The Villa is placed in the part of the island on an height, close to Punta Scaletta and Cala Maestra. The rooms employed as residence and the others were disposed on the highest level accessible by stairs, in the back of the residential quarter are the remains of a long building, with 8 rooms aligned, likely used by the monks as convent and since then called Conventaccio. The Villa is connected to Cala Maestra through a set of stairs, the Calidarium, formed by a rectangular room from whose walls passed the warm air, was placed halfway between the Villa and Cala Maestra and was richly adorned with marbles and mosaic floor. The Romans built a harbour and a wharf at Cala Maestra cutting the rock in order to have more space
8.
Tuscany
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Tuscany is a region in central Italy with an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, traditions, history, artistic legacy, Tuscany produces wines, including Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano and Brunello di Montalcino. Having a strong linguistic and cultural identity, it is considered a nation within a nation. Tuscany is traditionally a popular destination in Italy, and the main tourist destinations by number of tourist arrivals are Florence, Pisa, Montecatini Terme, Castiglione della Pescaia and Grosseto. The village of Castiglione della Pescaia is also the most visited destination in the region. Additionally, Siena, Lucca, the Chianti region, Versilia and Val dOrcia are also internationally renowned, Tuscany has over 120 protected nature reserves, making Tuscany and its capital Florence popular tourist destinations that attract millions of tourists every year. In 2012, the city of Florence was the worlds 89th most visited city, roughly triangular in shape, Tuscany borders the regions of Liguria to the northwest, Emilia-Romagna to the north and east, Umbria to the east and Lazio to the southeast. The comune of Badia Tedalda, in the Tuscan Province of Arezzo, has an exclave named Ca Raffaello within Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany has a western coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea, containing the Tuscan Archipelago, of which the largest island is Elba. Tuscany has an area of approximately 22,993 square kilometres, surrounded and crossed by major mountain chains, and with few plains, the region has a relief that is dominated by hilly country used for agriculture. Hills make up nearly two-thirds of the total area, covering 15,292 square kilometres, and mountains. Plains occupy 8. 4% of the total area—1,930 square kilometres —mostly around the valley of the River Arno, many of Tuscanys largest cities lie on the banks of the Arno, including the capital Florence, Empoli and Pisa. The pre-Etruscan history of the area in the late Bronze and Iron Ages parallels that of the early Greeks, following this, the Villanovan culture saw Tuscany, and the rest of Etruria, taken over by chiefdoms. City-states developed in the late Villanovan before Orientalization occurred and the Etruscan civilization rose, the Etruscans created the first major civilization in this region, large enough to establish a transport infrastructure, to implement agriculture and mining and to produce vibrant art. The Etruscans lived in Etruria well into prehistory, throughout their existence, they lost territory to Magna Graecia, Carthage and Celts. Despite being seen as distinct in its manners and customs by contemporary Greeks, the cultures of Greece, one reason for its eventual demise was this increasing absorption by surrounding cultures, including the adoption of the Etruscan upper class by the Romans. Soon after absorbing Etruria, Rome established the cities of Lucca, Pisa, Siena, and Florence, endowed the area with new technologies and development, and ensured peace. These developments included extensions of existing roads, introduction of aqueducts and sewers, however, many of these structures have been destroyed by erosion due to weather. The Roman civilization in the West collapsed in the 5th century AD, in the years following 572, the Longobards arrived and designated Lucca the capital of their Duchy of Tuscia
9.
Portoferraio
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Portoferraio is a town and comune in the province of Livorno, on the edge of the eponymous harbour of the island of Elba. It is the islands largest city, because of its terrain, many of its buildings are situated on the slopes of a tiny hill surrounded on three sides by the sea. It was founded by Cosimo I de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, in 1548, with the name of Cosmopoli and it had three forts and a massive line of walls, all still visible today. The city remained to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until the 18th century, a British garrison withstood the Siege of Porto Ferrajo in 1801, but the 1802 Treaty of Amiens transferred the town to France. In 1814 it was handed over to Napoleon Bonaparte, as the seat of his first exile, in the 19th century, the city grew quickly, due to the construction of infrastructures and the exploitation of new iron mills in Rio Marina. Portoferraio then became the shipping port of the ore towards the mainland, whence the current name. After the end of the Napoleonic Era, Portoferraio returned to Tuscany, here brigand Carmine Crocco was imprisoned until his death for his revolution against the reign of Victor Emmanuel II and the anarchist Giovanni Passannante who attempted to kill king Umberto I. During World War II, Portoferraio became the scene of battle when Elba was occupied by German forces, in late June 1944, an Allied force composed mainly of Free French troops liberated the island in a fight which lasted two days. Portoferraio was taken by French troops on 18 June, but was damaged by the fighting, portoferraios economy suffered from the end of mining activities starting from the 1970s, but in the following decades it gained a status as an internationally renowned tourist resort. The town center is crowded around the small marina drawn in a natural cove and it was built by Leopod II Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1788, the stone tower is 25 metres high and has a double balcony and lantern. On the same tower is an additional light identified by the number 2072.2. E. F. that emits a red fixed light at 60 metres above sea level
10.
Mediterranean Sea
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The sea is sometimes considered a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it is usually identified as a separate body of water. The name Mediterranean is derived from the Latin mediterraneus, meaning inland or in the middle of land and it covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km2, but its connection to the Atlantic is only 14 km wide. The Strait of Gibraltar is a strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar. In oceanography, it is called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere. The Mediterranean Sea has a depth of 1,500 m. The sea is bordered on the north by Europe, the east by Asia and it is located between latitudes 30° and 46° N and longitudes 6° W and 36° E. Its west-east length, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Gulf of Iskenderun, the seas average north-south length, from Croatia’s southern shore to Libya, is approximately 800 km. The Mediterranean Sea, including the Sea of Marmara, has an area of approximately 2,510,000 square km. The sea was an important route for merchants and travelers of ancient times that allowed for trade, the history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies. In addition, the Gaza Strip and the British Overseas Territories of Gibraltar and Akrotiri, the term Mediterranean derives from the Latin word mediterraneus, meaning amid the earth or between land, as it is between the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. The Ancient Greek name Mesogeios, is similarly from μέσο, between + γη, land, earth) and it can be compared with the Ancient Greek name Mesopotamia, meaning between rivers. The Mediterranean Sea has historically had several names, for example, the Carthaginians called it the Syrian Sea and latter Romans commonly called it Mare Nostrum, and occasionally Mare Internum. Another name was the Sea of the Philistines, from the people inhabiting a large portion of its shores near the Israelites, the sea is also called the Great Sea in the General Prologue by Geoffrey Chaucer. In Ottoman Turkish, it has also been called Bahr-i Sefid, in Modern Hebrew, it has been called HaYam HaTikhon, the Middle Sea, reflecting the Seas name in ancient Greek, Latin, and modern languages in both Europe and the Middle East. Similarly, in Modern Arabic, it is known as al-Baḥr al-Mutawassiṭ, in Turkish, it is known as Akdeniz, the White Sea since among Turks the white colour represents the west. Several ancient civilisations were located around the Mediterranean shores, and were influenced by their proximity to the sea. It provided routes for trade, colonisation, and war, as well as food for numerous communities throughout the ages, due to the shared climate, geology, and access to the sea, cultures centered on the Mediterranean tended to have some extent of intertwined culture and history. Two of the most notable Mediterranean civilisations in classical antiquity were the Greek city states, later, when Augustus founded the Roman Empire, the Romans referred to the Mediterranean as Mare Nostrum
11.
Italy
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Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino, Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate and Mediterranean climate. Due to its shape, it is referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state, the Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom, which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity. The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe, bringing a renewed interest in humanism, science, exploration, Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars, artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France, Spain and Austria. Despite being one of the victors in World War I, Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil. The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in defeat, economic destruction. Today, Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and it has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy. The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, military, cultural and diplomatic affairs, as a reflection of its cultural wealth, Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites, the most in the world, and is the fifth most visited country. The assumptions on the etymology of the name Italia are very numerous, according to one of the more common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning land of young cattle. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The name Italia originally applied only to a part of what is now Southern Italy – according to Antiochus of Syracuse, but by his time Oenotria and Italy had become synonymous, and the name also applied to most of Lucania as well. The Greeks gradually came to apply the name Italia to a larger region, excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other ancient Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily, the Roman legacy has deeply influenced the Western civilisation, shaping most of the modern world
12.
Piombino
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Piombino is an Italian town and comune of about 35,000 inhabitants in the province of Livorno. It lies on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of Elba Island and at the side of Maremma. It has an ancient historical centre, derived from the time in which it was the Etruscans port, in the Middle Ages, it was instead an important port of the Republic of Pisa. Its hinterland hosts an industrial area. Its port is still used, both for industry and for tourism, with ferry-boats to Portoferraio and Olbia. The bounding communes of Piombino are Campiglia Marittima, Follonica, San Vincenzo, the town has 6 civil parishes, Baratti, Fiorentina, Gagno, Populonia, Populonia Stazione and Vignale Riotorto. The area of modern Piombino was settled since ancient times, during the Etruscan era the main city in the area was Populonia, now a frazione within the comune of Piombino. It is also probable that Piombino had already been founded during the Ostrogoth domination, in 1022 the Monastery of San Giustiniano was founded in the area, boosting the activity of fishermen, sailors and workers. In 1115 Piombino submitted to the Republic of Pisa, becoming its main port. During the conflicts between the Pisane and the Genoese the city was sacked various times, in 1248 the Capitano Ugolino Arsopachi built the Channels. In 1445, through his marriage with Caterina Appiani, Rinaldo Orsini acquired the lordship, in 1501–1503 the principality was under Cesare Borgia. In 1509 the Appiani became princes of the Holy Roman Empire with the title of Piombino, after Cosimo I de Medici had occupied it in the course of the war against Siena, in 1553 and 1555 a French-Ottoman fleet attacked Piombino, but was pushed back. In 1594 the Principality of Piombino was created by Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg, in 1634 the title was acquired by the Ludovisi, whose member Niccolò I had married Polissena Appiani in 1632. In 1708 it went to the Boncompagni with Antonio I, in 1801 Napoleon abolished the principate, Piombino and its lands being annexed by the Kingdom of Etruria, in 1809 they were given to Napoleons sister, Elisa Baciocchi. After the Napoleons final defeat and the congress of Vienna, the state of Piombino was annexed by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and it became part of the unified Kingdom of Italy in 1860. During World War II, in the days followed the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile. Battle broke out at 21,15 on 10 September, between the German landing forces and the Italian coastal batteries, tanks, and civilian population, sauro and Carbet were scuttled because of the damage they had suffered. The German attack was repelled, by the dawn of 11 September,120 Germans had been killed, Italian casualties had been 4 killed and a dozen wounded, four Italian submarine chasers were also sunk during the fightning
Tuscany
