A Traveller's History of Italy analyses the development of the Italian people from pre-historic times right through to the imaginative, resourceful and fiercely independent Italians we know today.All the major periods of Italian history are dealt with, including the Etruscans, the Romans, the communes and the city states which spawned the glories of the Renaissance. In more modern times, Unification and the development and the degeneration of the Liberal state into Fascism are covered, as well as the rise of Italy to the position it currently enjoys as a leading member of the European Community.The Gazetteer, which is cross-referenced to the main text, highlights sites, towns, churches and cathedrals of historical importance to the visitor. For travellers on the ground or students at their desks, this handy paperback will prove invaluable.