The centre of Europe's first great empire and of the cultural resurgence of the Renaissance, Italy has left its mark all over the world. The Rough Guide Chronicle Italy lays out the country's whole story, from its pre-Roman tribes through to the present-day nation of Berlusconi, Ferrari and Gucci. Featuring a continuous time-line, sidebars on Julius Caesar, St Francis, Michelangelo, Savonarola, Garibaldi and a host of other topics, plus dozens of illustrations and quotations, the Rough Guide Chronicle is a vital reference for travellers and students alike.