1 - The history
Strategically placed at the gateway to the Italian peninsula, Milan and the surrounding region of Lombardy have been the subject of constant disputes over the centuries. The city has exploited its position in order to become the undisputed economic and cultural powerhouse of Italy. According to the Roman historians, a Celtic village was first founded in this area in the 6th century B.C. It was conquered by Roman legions in 222 B.C. and then called Mediolanum (this was the roman name for Milan).
Milan became the capital of its Western part, in 286 A.D.
It was a very importante center for the consolidation of the new Christian religion.
