The Travellers History series is designed for the discerning holidaymaker or traveller who feels that they need more historical background information on the country in which they are staying than can be found in a guide. In A Travellers History of Italy the author analyses the development of the Italian people from prehistoric times right through to the imaginative, resourceful and fiercely independent Italians we know today. All of 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 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 for the visitor.