Lazio
- For the football club, see S.S. Lazio
Template:Infobox RegionIT Latium (Lazio in Italian) is a region of central Italy, bordered by Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania and the Tyrrhenian Sea. It comprises 5 provinces: Rome, Viterbo, Latina, Frosinone and Rieti. Regional capital is Rome. Current President of the Region is Piero Marrazzo (center-left, elected 2005).
Etymology
The name of the region also survives in the tribal designation of the ancient population of Latins, from whom the Romans originated.
In Roman mythology, the shadowy king Latinus (or Latium) allegedly gave his name to the region.
Modern linguists postulate origins in a Proto-Indo-European language (PIE) root *stela- (to spread, extend), expressing the idea of "flat land" (in contrast to the local Sabine high country). But the name may originate from an earlier, non Indo-European one. See the Online Etymological Dictionary.
Since the Latium is respected more as an ancient Rome designation, it doesn't usually get put on maps or globes.
History
The Latins founded a group of small settlements that united against the Etruscans and Samnites, and which came under Roman dominance in 338 BC. Rome granted all Latins Roman citizenship after the Social War in 90 BC.
Latium has great importance for history, art, architecture, archaeology, religion, and culture in general. The immense patrimony of the city of Rome forms only a part of the treasures spread over the hundreds of towns, villages, abbeys, churches, monuments, and other sites of the region.
Notable cities
- Rome (Roma) (pop. 2,546,807), capital city of the region
- Anzio, birthplace of Nero, site of Allied landings in World War II
- Cassino, site of famous monastery and fierce World War II battle
- Castel Gandolfo, summer residence of the Pope
- Cerveteri, site of one of the two best preserved Etruscan necropoli in Italy
- Civitavecchia, the region's principal port
- Frosinone (pop. 45,128), capital city of the Frosinone province (pop. 477,950)
- Latina (pop. 108,711),capital city of the Latina province (pop. 489,599)
- Ostia, the ancient Roman port of Rome
- Rieti (pop. 41,394), capital city of the Rieti province (pop. 151,000)
- Tarquinia, site of the other of the two best preserved Etruscan necropoli in Italy
- Tivoli, site of Hadrian's Villa
- Viterbo (pop. 60,387), capital city of the Viterbo province (pop. 285,254)
External links
- Official Site of the Regione Lazio (in Italian)
- Map of Lazio
