A Tour of the Great Roman Cities
Introduction
Salvete discipuli! Hodie in linguam Anglorum barbaorum docebo.
(trans: Greetings Students! Today, I will be teaching you in the barbarous language of the Angles [English])
Future Governors, my name is Pallas. I am a Greek slave. As most of you know, since becoming part of the Roman Empire, we Greeks have provided many of the educators and administrators for the Empire.
I myself have had the honor and privilege of serving Governors of the Empire for the past ten years. During that time, I have helped Governors with the day-to-day running of some of our Empire’s greatest cities.
It’s my understanding that some of you here today will have the honor of serving our Emperor as Governor of some of these very same cities. Because of that, my Master has sent me here today so that I can share some of my knowledge of these cities. It is his and my hope that this knowledge will help you as you assume your responsibilities for overseeing the well-being of our people.
As you know, our Empire unites diverse peoples and cultures into the single greatest Empire in the history of the known world: greater than Alexander’s Empire; greater even than that of the Egyptians of old. More than anything what makes our Empire great are its ancient cities. Across the Empire, you will be responsible for the same cities and their citizens that form the fabric of our great Empire.
As it will be your duty to care and nurture for these cities and their people, it is important for you to understand the history and background of these cities. Each city in the Empire is unique and understanding the particular history and background of each one will better enable you to govern more effectively. As you know, future Governors, an understanding the history and background people of a city and its people can make the difference between an average leader and a great one. You need only look to the example of our own Divine Augustus who understood the character of the Roman people well enough to set himself up not as a king but as a humble Princeps (First Citizen).
Therefore, listen today to what I have to teach and apply it when you govern. In doing so you can follow the example of the Divine Augustus and govern wisely and bring your cities and their people prosperity.
Florentia (Florence)
The city of Florence lies approximately 131 Roman miles northwest of Rome herself. Florence lies in Etruria, the land of the Etruscan peoples. While Florence lies in Etruria it is not actually an Etruscan city. Instead, the city itself was founded as a colony for retired Roman soldiers 694 years after the founding of the city (called AUC in Latin) (59 BC) under the auspices of the Divine Julius Caesar primarily to defend the ford across the Arno river.
Governors, when you travel to Florence from Rome to take you office, you will travel along the Via Cassia through the heart of Etruria. You will find Florence is well served by the Arno River and nestled in the shadow of the Apennines, the backbone of Italy.
Because Florence is a young city, you will find it is still a smaller city and shows the clear outlines of its military heritage. The city is laid out along a standard Roman army grid with a main north-south road intersecting with a main east-west road in the middle of the city. The city is walled with brick along all four sides, with standard towers on all sides.
While the city itself is Roman and not Etruscan, because it is in Etruria you will do well to be familiar with the Etruscans and their history. While the Etruscan language is no longer used (and is unreadable to Romans and Greeks alike!), the people of Etruria are proud of their heritage.
Most of you are surely aware that the Etruscans were the greatest enemy of early Rome, long before the wars against the Carthaginians. The Etruscans gave early Rome two of its seven kings. The Etruscans also gave Rome its Republic because of the actions of the last king, the Etruscan Tarquinius Superbus in the year 243 AUC.
The Etruscans also gave us our practice of divination through reading the entrails of animals and the flight of birds. Our gladiatorial games also come from the Etruscans where they were originally funeral games.
While Florence is young and small yet, its Roman character combined with the Etruscan heritage of the area give it many advantages: Florence is a city with a bright future ahead of it.
