The centre of Europe's first great empire and of the cultural resurgence of the Renaissance, Italy has left its mark all over the world. This text lays out the country's whole story, from its pre-Roman tribes through to the present-day nation of Berlusconi, Ferrari and Gucci. Featuring a continuous time-line, sidebars on Julius Caeser, St Francis, Michelangelo, Savonarola, Garibaldia and a host of other topics, as well as illustrations and quotations, this guide is aimed at travellers and students alike.