Language and identity. NATIONAL / ETHNIC IDENTITY is often defined by the language.

Native language is called MOTHER LANGUAGE.

The struggle for language autonomy is one of the oldest and most enduring. Often it is at the root cause of SEPARATIST and LIBERATION MOVEMENTS.

From the other perspective, it is the number one target of OPPRESSION and REPRESSION.

Schools, books, radio-tv, and of course now the internet.

LANGUAGE creates UNITY  -- LANGUAGES (plur) create DIVISIONS.

The concepts of LINGUISTIC SUBSTRATUM  (underlayer) and LINGUA FRANCA (Frankish language Frankish language 2)

753 BCE

MONARCHIC PERIOD

Languages of ancient Italy around 700 BCE
in greater detail.

500 BCE

ROMAN REPUBLIC

REPUBLICAN SYMBOL

The Roman bundle of sticks or FASCES (whence the word FASCISM, the Mussolini regime that adopted those symbols.)

200 BCE
IN GREEN, ROMAN REPUBLIC IN 201 BCE

ITALY IS UNIFIED UNDER THE ROMAN EMPIRE APPROXIMATELY FROM 200 BCE UNTIL 476 CE

476 CE FALL OF ROME AND THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE

AFTER THIS DATE ITALY IS BROKEN UP INTO A GALAXY OF STATES, SOME AS SMALL AS A TOWN (CITY STATES)

ITALY WILL BE REUNIFIED ONLY 1400 YEARS LATER, IN 1861 BY THE SAVOY DYNASTY.