In Depth about Milan History, Culture, Museum and Attractions
The Camun people, who were the earliest inhabitants of Lombardy, had settled in the Valcamonica area in Brescia. The rest of Italy was inhabited by Italic people and Etruscans. Gallo-Celtic tribes had settled on the plains of the Po Valley between 5th and 4th centuries BC, spreading into the lands of Ligurians and Etruscans which are now Milan, Brescia, Bergamo and other Lombardy cities. The settlements of the Insubre tribes were more dominant in the area where Milan is now located whereas the Celts changed their route to south. It was the Romans who expanded their borders to north where they named as Cisalpine Gaul. From 280 BC up to 222BC they began to found colonies as they conquer the town and renamed Mediolanum.
During the Second Punic War between 218 and 201 BC, northern Italy's Celts and Ligurians supported Hannibal and the great Carthaginian general's troops to beat the Romans. However from 42 BC Rome made a great effort to keep Cisalpine Gaul within its territories. In 15 BC Emperor Augustus made Milan the capital of the Transpadania region. During the reign of Augustus, agriculture was flourished in northern Italy, roads were built and towns were endowed with monuments.
During the 3rd century AD, the barbarian tribes began to approach the northern borders of Roman Empire. During this time Diocletian divided the empire into two. After AD 292 Milan (then Mediolanum) became the capital of western emperor Diocletian. During the reign of Diocletian Milan gained importance as being a center of Christianity which was brought to the city but St Barnabus who was a friend of St Paul.
Constantine the Great reunified the two halves of the empire to take the control of Mediolanum, knowing the city's strategic importance. He issued the Edict of Milan in 313 to put an end to the persecution of Christians. It was the way to make Christianity to be the religion of the area. In 374 St Ambrose was elected bishop of the city.
After 402 when the Emperor Honorius decided to make Ravenna the centre of the empire, the barbarian tribes began to attack Milan. With the attacks of Atilla the Hun and then the Goths Milan was wretched.
