Latium

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For the football club, see S.S. Lazio


Regione Lazio
The Stemma of Latium
Enlarge
The Stemma of Latium
Capital Rome
President Piero Marrazzo
(The Union)
Provinces Frosinone
Latina
Rieti
Rome
Viterbo
Municipalities 377
Area 17,208 km²
 - Ranked 9th (5.7 %)
Population (2003 est.)
 - Total

 - Ranked
 - Density


5,145,805
3rd (9.0 %)
299/km²
Image:Italy Regions Latium 220px.png
Map highlighting the location of Lazio in Italy

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).


Contents

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 is not used as a label 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


Regions of Italy Flag of Italy
Abruzzo | Basilicata | Calabria | Campania | Emilia-Romagna | Latium | Liguria | Lombardy | Marche | Molise | Piedmont | Apulia | Tuscany | Umbria | Veneto
Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Sardinia | Sicily | Trentino-South Tyrol | Aosta Valley
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