Milan - another perspective on History

We are easily led into believing that the city in which we are visiting represents the crux of civilisation as we know it. Of course we appreciate the co-dependance and successor bequests each leading party in the civilisation 'relay' makes to each other. The historical contribution from Milan had not made our radar before today... we had not factored in the contribution made by mighty Etruscan civilisation... their contribution to writing, pottery and most important of all, metallurgy. We had figured out the contributions made by the Minoans coming from the east... and the Hellenic civilisations from the west. We appreciated how the Macedonian empire built on the social skills developed by the Hellenic regime... we knew all of that... but hadn't kept an eye on what the Etruscans were doing further north. Because this is where Milan began its impressive contribution to history.

Now wanting to dwell on the past... let's skip a couple of centuries... through the formation of the Roman Empire... right through to the period when it started to unravel... because it became too big. When the empire started to split between east and west, Milan became the headquarters of the Western Roman Empire... when our good friend Diocletian choose to administer the East. Maximillian was given the harder 'gig' of holding the West together... from the grasp of those German tribes to the north... from his centre of power... in Milan.

Diocletian met Maximian in Milan in the winter of 290–91... the meeting was undertaken with a sense of solemn pageantry... Emperors spent most of their time in public appearances. A deputation from the Roman Senate met with the Emperors, renewing its infrequent contact with the Imperial office. The choice of Milan over Rome further snubbed the capital's pride. Rome has kept a wary eye on Milan ever since. Jasper, even today, you can see the remains of the wall of the fort constructed by Maximillian to secure his palace... and even parts of the foundation of the palace remain.

The most dramatic statement Milan has made revolves around its cathedral. It was the engineering marvel of its day... still is to some extent. For a century, every engineer commissioned to build a cathedral in another country would visit Milan to see how it should be done... in terms of engineering and artistry, Milan tops St Peter's in Rome. At one point Milan claimed to be the centre of the Catholic Church... a claim that was not settled for some time. By the time Michaelanglo had prettied up St Peter's, Rome had re-asserted its leadership.