Florentia (Roman city)

Florentia was a Roman city established in 59 BC. It served as a colony for veteran soldiers, likely those of Julius Caesar, situated in the Arno River valley. Its strategic location on the Via Cassia, a major Roman road, contributed to its importance as a trading and administrative center. The layout of Roman Florentia followed a typical Roman grid pattern, with the Cardo (north-south axis) and Decumanus (east-west axis) forming the primary streets. The Piazza della Repubblica in modern Florence roughly corresponds to the location of the Roman forum. While little remains physically of the original Roman city above ground, archaeological excavations have revealed significant information about its foundations, infrastructure (including aqueducts), and daily life. Roman Florentia laid the groundwork for the later flourishing of Florence during the medieval and Renaissance periods.