Florence: Lecture 1 of 3: Ancient & Medieval "Florentia"

"Florentia" began as a settlement for veterans of the Roman army.

Commerce, led by the wool trade, and closely followed by the banking business, helped the city flourish in the Middle Ages, and a building boom ensued.

In the 14th century, a series of disasters hit Florence: a banking collapse, political turmoil and then, finally, the Black Death. A lecture by Dr. William J.

Neidinger.