Essay: Comparing real history and APH canon of Rome, the Italys, Vatican City and Seborga
Okay, since I've heard the new header disappointed some because there's no Romano in it, implying again Rome favoured Veneziano, let's go check real world history and see how it would fit in Hetalia canon. Also, since we’re at it let’s see a bit of Rome’s history, if we can discover when the Italys had birth and which was their relation with Rome and how Vatican City is supposed to be an old man when he had birth in 1929… -_-
Oh and there's also mention of Seborga!
Apart from mentions to Seborga and Vatican I'll spare you from the rest of Italy's history after Rome's fall or this would never end...
Mind you, it’s very possible Himaruya did not do a deep research when he created APH. After all, APH is supposed to be a humoristic manga, not an essay in history.
It doesn’t have to be perfectly historically accurate.
(Although sometimes I would like for it to be as accurate as possible... :P)
Still, I think to compare it with real history might be interesting and to try to make it fit with real history might require creative effort and produce interesting results.
Anyway, let’s start.
History part
XI century B.C. The name ‘Italia’ had birth and it’s used to name only a part of the actual Italian peninsula, the Calabria, whose population was called ‘Italic’. The ones reporting its use are the Greeks, although it’s not sure if they gave it to the land or merely they keep a pre-existent name. It ends here? No, not really.
VIII & VII century B.C. Ancient Greece come to Italy and conquers part of Calabria, Campania, Sicily, Basilicata, Apulia. It’ll be what the Romans will later call ‘Magna Grecia’. The Greeks who moved to live in that land got the name ‘Italiotes’ (actually there are discussions if the name was extended also to the ones living in Sicily).
753 B.C. 21th April Rome was founded. The myth wants the founders of Rome to be ancestors of Aeneas of Troy (which was a city in actual Turkey) but, as of now, history is more prone to assume they were of Indo-European origins.
509 B.C. According to the myth Rome becomes a Republic. However, more likely Rome changed the date so that it would match with the restauration of the Democracy in Greece. Also Rome signs a treaty with Carthage, who had been a Phoenician colony, in which they indicate a division of influence and commercial activities and that instaurates relations of friendship of some sort between the two.
V century B.C. Rome fights the Etruscans and the Sabellians and conquers the Lazio.
IV century B.C. Rome conquers Tuscany (back then named Etruria).
390/387, 18th July B.C. Battle of the Allia. The Gaul Senones, who lived in Romagna and Marche, defeat the Roman army and sacks Rome then put to a siege the Capitoline where the Romans had refuged. This day entered in the history of Rome with the name of 'fatal/ill-omened day'. Brennus, the Senones leader, and the Romans negotiated an end to the siege when the Romans agreed to pay one thousand pounds of gold. However it's also assumed it's from this moment on that Rome began building the military strenght that later will allow it to conquer its empire. Also for 800 years no one will manage to sack again Rome. Marco Furio Camillo will chase away the Senones and rebuilt the city, gaining the title of second Pater Patriae after Romolus.
295 B.C. Battle of Sentinum (during the Third Samnite War). Rome defeats the joined forces of the Senones, Samnites, Etruscans and Umbrians.
283 B.C. The Senones are forced to submit to Rome.
271 B.C. Rome takes possession of the Senones' lands.
270 B.C. Rome controls all the land that goes from the Strait of Messina to the Rubicone (which is in the lower part of Emilia-Romagna). Although the land belong to the Roman republic its geographic name as a whole will be ‘Italia’. Basically Rome now owns all south and centre Italy (minus Sicily).
264 B.C. Rome and Carthage begin the first Punic war.
241, 10th March B.C. Battle of the Aegates Islands. Rome wins the first Punic war. It also gains Sicily. It won’t considered part of Italia yet but it’ll become Rome's first Province.
238 B.C. Rome gets Sardinia and Corsica, which will become its new Provinces.
219 B.C Rome and Carthage begin the second Punic war.
218 B.C. After invading and conquering part of the Iberian peninsula, Romans created two more provinciae: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior
216, 2nd August Battle of Cannae. Rome's darkest day. During it 50.000 Roman soldiers dies, basically leaving Rome without an army, and, as if this wasn't bad enough a consul (L. Emilio Paolo), 2 quaestors, around 40 tribunes and around 80 senators meets the same end, basically leaving Rome without most of its government staff.
202 B.C Battle of Zama. Scipio defeats Hannibal causing Rome to win the second Punic war.
Around 191 B.C. Rome conquers Gallia Cisalpina (North Italy) and turns it into another Province. However the Veneti, a population residing into actual Veneto, didn’t fight Rome but had friendly relations with it (starting from 225 B.C.), allowing Romans to live in their land, joining their forces to fight the Gauls, which were common enemies, and pacifically becoming part of the Roman Empire. They’re considered tied to the Romans by ‘amicitia’ (friendship) and they’re described as a not war-prone people. In the Roman myth the Veneti are Romans’ relatives (the Veneti’s ancestors would also be people who came from Troy, like Aeneas did).
177 B.C. Rome conquers Istria.
175 B.C. Rome conquers Liguria.
149 B.C. Rome and Carthage begin the third Punic war.
146 B.C. Rome conquers Ancient Greece. With the end of the third Punic war Carthage is completely destroyed.
73 B.C. Spartacus' rebellion starts in Capua (Campania) and with it begins the Third Servile War.
71 B.C. Spartacus' rebellion ends. Spartacus is defeated in the battle near the Sele River (Campania). He's killed in battle and his body crucified.
42 B.C. Gallia Cisalpina stops being a Province and becomes part of Italia.
30 B.C. Rome conquers Ancient Egypt
27 B.C 16th January The Roman republic falls. This is also the date in which the Roman Empire has birth ‘de facto’.
7 Italia is divided in 11 regions. It seems the Italics are the 65% of Roma’s army (it also seems many of them came from north). Italia is also allowed not to pay tributes.
Around 40 It’s assumed the Roman church had birth.
43 Emperor Claudius invaded Britannia.
II century Italics begin to lose importance in the Roman empire, replaced by the descendants of Italics who moved out of Italia to colonize other lands. Roman Italia is going into a phase of decline although it’s still favoured by the Roman emperors.
166 Germans begin to try to invade the Roman Empire. They invade Aquileia (which is in Friuli-Venezia Giulia). According to a myth this is what will push the inhabitant of Aquileia to partially move on the lagoon and give birth to Venice.
192 Emperor Settimio Severo, an African (actually his father was Punic and his mother Roman… but at the time, if your parents were married, what decides who you are is your father’s ancestry… in case your parents aren’t married however, what decides who you are is your mother’s ancestry), decided from now on Italians (Romans included) were spared from military service while everyone else in the empire had to go through it. Since the only way to get the power back then was through military service Italics are mostly cut out from government and from learning how to fight to defend themselves or conquer lands.
212 Constitutio Antoniniana (or Edict of Caracalla). Emperor Caracalla gave full Roman cizitenship to all the free man who lived in the Empire. Goodhearted? Actually, really smart. Roman citizens had to pay taxes. A LOT of citizens meant, of course, a LOT of money.
259 The Gallic Empire has birth. It includes France, Britain and a tiny part of Spain. Rome however will conquer it back in 274.
286 The Roman Empire is cut in two parts. Mediolanum (Milan) becomes the capital of the Western part of the empire.
Around 292 The diocese of Italia has birth. Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica are considered part of it (prior to this they weren’t considered part of Italia). The diocese of Italia is cut in two. Italia suburbicaria (Italy under the City (of Rome)), including south and center Italia and having as capitol Rome and Italia Annonaria (provisioning Italy), including north Italy, with, as capital Mediolanum (Milan) and that has to return to pay tributes.
332 The German population of the Goths is forced to sign a treaty with Rome, in which they take upon themselves the duty to defend Rome's border.
376 The Romans mistreat the Goths who lives in their borders, causing them to revolts.
380/382 The Romans are forced to accept part of the Goths as Foederati (they were bound by treaty (foedus), and althought they were neither Roman colonies nor had they been granted Roman citizenship (civitas), were expected to provide a contingent of fighting men when trouble arose, thus were allies). According to some this is the beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire.
395 The Eastern Roman Empire, later called Byzantine Empire, has officially birth while the Western Empire officially begin its fall.
402 Ravenna became the capital of the Western empire.
410 Sack of Rome.
476 End of the Western Roman Empire. Odoacer becomes the king of the ‘kingdom of the Germans of Italy’ which includes all the Italian peninsula (apart from Venice that will remain under the protection of the Easter Roman Empire), most of Sicily, modern Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia. More fights will follow among the assorted Germans who will try to get control of the kingdom of Italy and the Easter Roman Empire who will try to get back Italy (they’ll manage to get back a good part of south Italy).
752 The Papal State has birth officially although something like that was mentioned in 592 (Duchy of Rome under the Bishop of Rome). However, just in case you don’t know, the Donation of Costantine dated 321 in which the Bishop of Rome was gifted of the city of Rome is false.
954 The count of Ventimiglia hands the town of Seborga to the Benedectine monks of Lerino, giving life to the feud of Seborga.
1173 Despite the Republic of Genoa trying to claim for itself Seborga through legal ways, Seborga is confirmed as property of the monks.
1181 The Republic of Genoa takes under its protection Lerino and therefore Seborga too. However Seborga keeps being politically and administratively tied to the County of Provence.
1697 Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy would like to buy Seborga but the Republic of Genoa presses on the Pope to stop Vittorio Amedeo II from doing it.
1729, 31th January The Savoy manages to buy Seborga.
1815 Liguria and Seborga are annexed to the kingdom of Sardinia. Later they will become part of the kingdom of Italy.
1870, 20th September The Papal State is annexed to the kingdom of Italy.
1929, 11th February The Vatican State has birth. Italy is the first country to recognize its existence.
Around 1960 Seborga wishes to retain its historic independence as a principality.
1993 Seborga elects a 'prince' becoming the only city in Italy who has a major and a prince. It is, however, still part of Italy.
Hetalia canon
In Volume 1 is said that Roman Empire was the one who took control of the Mediterranean and of the wealth of the whole world but that one day he just ‘disappeared’.
In Volume 2 it’s said he fell in love with Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt that he had a relation with Germania (who, according to the manga, is the grandfather of Holy Roman Empire), who once was his bodyguard and that later gave him his fatal wound.
Always in Volume 2, when he tells his history to Germany it’s said Rome had birth in VI century B.C.. He was very small back then and his heart was in Rome. He was united with Italy in 272 B.C. and later hit Carthage.
Germany will add that, according to the myth in 753 B.C. Romulus and Remus declared the founding of a nation, by 509 B.C. Etrusca was exiled due to republicanism then through a revolutionary law plus military power he won over patriots and was united with Italy in 272 B.C.. After that his power spread through Mediterranean sea and beat Carthage.
In volume 2 we see Rome chatting with Germania in Europe B.C.. He also complains he lost a fight against someone and this made him depressed.
Asked why he disappeared Rome said he disappeared because he was an idiot who didn’t realize power and wealth won’t stay forever and when he realized his past glory was deteriorating… he trailed off and didn’t continue his explanation.
In the Chibitalia part is also said (North) Italy lived happily in Roman Empire’s home, next to France. Holy Roman Empire is also shown although he’s not mentioned. It’s said Veneziano has a older brother however he had never met him. One day Roman Empire, his grandfather, took Veneziano away and let him live singing and painting. During this time Roman Empire is showed as an old man in the manga though in the anime he’s still young looking. When Veneziano returned, his brother, Holy Roman Empire and France had turned into bullies.
He later will say that his grandfather fell because he was ‘too big’ and that he had painful scars on his back.
In ‘Boss Spain’s control of Southern Italy’, not yet collected into the volumes, Romano complains all he has is his grandfather’s inheritance and that he doesn’t look anything like his grandfather and that Veneziano is better than him at trade and drawing. Actually, graphically speaking Rome resembles more Romano then Veneziano, although his character is more similar to Veneziano than Romano (I couldn’t find a strip in which Romano specifically said Rome favoured Veneziano but it’s possible I’ve missed it).
In Volume 2 it’s shown that Rome will come back from heaven to see Veneziano. In the webcomic version of this story he also went to see Romano but the pic in which he rubs his face against Romano’s was cut from the manga edition.
In a note Himaruya said that Vatican City is supposed to be an old man who lives near (well, actually he’s inside) Italy, but is very bossy and considered to be an annoyance, which has caused him to be at odds with Italy.
In another note it was said Romano had Arabic blood and, due to this, he has darker skin and hair colour than Veneziano.
History and Hetalia canon. An attempt to mix them together were is possible.
Although the manga calls Rome always Roman Empire it’s implied he started as merely Rome. Due to this I’ll also assume that the Rome talking with Germania in Europe B.C. is likely Republican Rome.
Now, the birth of Italy as geographic region which starts in south and would make Romano as the older of the two Italian brothers is however prior to the birth of Rome.
If
Holy Roman Empire=Germany (Mind you, canon implies this but, so far, never stated it…)
And
Prussia/Teutonic Order= Older brother of Germany= Older brother of Holy Roman Empire
And
Teutonic Order had birth AFTER Holy Roman Empire
it’s possible that Rome isn’t physically the grandfather of the Italies. He took that ‘title’ because they were somehow related and he took care of them and grew enough to be defined their grandfather (the Teutonic Order had birth AFTER the Holy Roman Empire, not prior to it yet Prussia grew up faster than HRE so it's possible he defines himself as his older brother).
However… all we know for sure is that APH canon states the Italys existed already when the Roman Empire existed. It’s possible they had birth when Rome created the diocese of Italy, who was cut in two parts, North and Centre/South (allowing Rome to be part of Romano’s land… because technically south Italy doesn’t include Rome…) and that Ancient Italy, to whom Rome UNITED, was represented by some other character. France, who looks older than baby north Italy, might have had birth with the Gallic Empire had, for some reasons, he didn’t disappear when the Gallic Empire was reabsorbed in the Roman Empire (maybe he grew to represent the diocese of the Seven Provinces?). No idea when HRE had birth.
Now… historically Rome cared/ruled over south for a much longer time than over north and it was south who gave body to the ‘first Italy’. North joined in much later.
However, if Veneziano is tied to the Veneti more than to the North Italian Gauls, this might be seen as him having a tight bond with Rome, a more peaceful nature and a love for trading. In the contrary case north Italian Gauls for a long while had been the favoured providers of Roman divisions which would still cause them to have a bond.
Also, moving the capitol from Rome to Milan might give life to the assumption Rome favoured north Italy (and starts the idea North Italy represented Italy). North Italy would like to disagree because in the meantime Veneziano found himself having to pay a tribute, a thing Romano didn’t have to do (in my head canon Veneziano isn’t fond of people who asks him taxes but it might be just me) but Romano might have confused the thing into his grandfather favouring Veneziano? Especially because this would make Veneziano as the representative of Italy?
In fact there’s to say Veneziano is already used to represent the whole Italy in the strip that sees Italy against the Ottoman Empire and that likely represents the battle of Lepanto (1571) that saw the Holy League formed by the Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily, Republic of Venice, Papal States, Republic of Genoa, Duchy of Savoy, Knights of Malta, Duchy of Urbino and Grand Duchy of Tuscany against the Ottoman Empire. As you can see Romano should have also be involved in the battle but he’s nowhere to be seen.
As for Vatican… the only thing that would make him OLDER than the Italys is to assume he had birth when Christianity reached Rome (to date his birth back to Jesus time would imply he didn’t have birth in Italy), that later evolved in the Papal State, managed to stay alive when the Papal State was annexed to Italy and, in the end turned to Vatican City. It wouldn’t make him that much older than Italy (200 years in the APH world are a rather short time) though he could have aged faster than them. However China and Japan who defined themselves old men, aren’t old looking at all. The only one who had been old looking is the Roman Empire, and this was when/after he began to fall. Prussia however is still young looking even though Himaruya declared he’s going to disappear sooner or later… (No, not Prussia! ;_;) Vatican city isn’t about to fall as far as we know. However there’s to say for any fact about Italy Himaruya had used the Italys, not the Italian states. When Spain conquers the kingdom of Naples we see him conquering Romano, not a State-tan. Romano’s extension is almost the same as the one of the kingdom of Naples? Then what about Austria conquering the Duchy of Milan who’s represented by Veneziano, who also represent the Republic of Venice when they made their law about Gondolas. Veneziano seems to represent the Republic of Florence in Renaissance era too, all things that seem to imply there are no pre Unitarian state-tan in Italy (which is sad, really. Each state had his own history and personality and they would have been so cool to represent…) making hard to believe there was a Papal State.
However, out of late, Himaruya created Seborga, who had been an independent feud in 954 till 1729, giving a chance to over independent Italian states to exist.
Back to Rome. We can see how there had been a long time in which Germans defended Rome’s borders, likely causing Germania to gain the title of Rome’s bodyguard. However the Germans defended the borders by other Germans, causing Germania to end up being also the one who fatally strike Rome.
Now, a fatal blow, generally imply death but in APH Rome ‘disappeared’ with Veneziano.
My guess is this means Rome moved in the East part of the empire. Veneziano, in this moment, represent Venice, who will also stay under the protection of the East Empire. The part involving Rome can be technically historically accurate because, for a long time, the ones who will try to recreate the Roman Empire (among them the Holy Roman Emperors) will have to ‘fight’ for the right to be called as such with the East Roman Empire, whose Emperor defined himself as the only one who can rightfully claim himself as the owner of the right of being called Roman Emperor… though this can also imply Roman Empire=ottoman Empire=Turkey which somehow makes me shudder…
However this would cause Veneziano to return in Italy only during Renaissance when, after Rome’s fall but prior to this, in Italy existed already a kingdom of Italy, that was mostly located in the north and that, always prior to the Renaissance and therefore to the Italian wars, became part of the Holy Roman Empire who was formed by the kingdom of Italy and the kingdom of Germany joined together creating the mystery of a kingdom of Italy who was represented by… no one.
Anyway with this I’ll stop theorizing and I’ll let everyone who managed to read this till now to come up with his own explanation. And if you feel like sharing it you’ll be more than welcome!
PS: weird enough, after writing all this I come up with the weird idea that in APH canon Turkey might end up being Rome's younger brother...
Oh and there's also mention of Seborga!
Apart from mentions to Seborga and Vatican I'll spare you from the rest of Italy's history after Rome's fall or this would never end...
Mind you, it’s very possible Himaruya did not do a deep research when he created APH. After all, APH is supposed to be a humoristic manga, not an essay in history.
It doesn’t have to be perfectly historically accurate.
(Although sometimes I would like for it to be as accurate as possible... :P)
Still, I think to compare it with real history might be interesting and to try to make it fit with real history might require creative effort and produce interesting results.
Anyway, let’s start.
History part
XI century B.C. The name ‘Italia’ had birth and it’s used to name only a part of the actual Italian peninsula, the Calabria, whose population was called ‘Italic’. The ones reporting its use are the Greeks, although it’s not sure if they gave it to the land or merely they keep a pre-existent name. It ends here? No, not really.
VIII & VII century B.C. Ancient Greece come to Italy and conquers part of Calabria, Campania, Sicily, Basilicata, Apulia. It’ll be what the Romans will later call ‘Magna Grecia’. The Greeks who moved to live in that land got the name ‘Italiotes’ (actually there are discussions if the name was extended also to the ones living in Sicily).
753 B.C. 21th April Rome was founded. The myth wants the founders of Rome to be ancestors of Aeneas of Troy (which was a city in actual Turkey) but, as of now, history is more prone to assume they were of Indo-European origins.
509 B.C. According to the myth Rome becomes a Republic. However, more likely Rome changed the date so that it would match with the restauration of the Democracy in Greece. Also Rome signs a treaty with Carthage, who had been a Phoenician colony, in which they indicate a division of influence and commercial activities and that instaurates relations of friendship of some sort between the two.
V century B.C. Rome fights the Etruscans and the Sabellians and conquers the Lazio.
IV century B.C. Rome conquers Tuscany (back then named Etruria).
390/387, 18th July B.C. Battle of the Allia. The Gaul Senones, who lived in Romagna and Marche, defeat the Roman army and sacks Rome then put to a siege the Capitoline where the Romans had refuged. This day entered in the history of Rome with the name of 'fatal/ill-omened day'. Brennus, the Senones leader, and the Romans negotiated an end to the siege when the Romans agreed to pay one thousand pounds of gold. However it's also assumed it's from this moment on that Rome began building the military strenght that later will allow it to conquer its empire. Also for 800 years no one will manage to sack again Rome. Marco Furio Camillo will chase away the Senones and rebuilt the city, gaining the title of second Pater Patriae after Romolus.
295 B.C. Battle of Sentinum (during the Third Samnite War). Rome defeats the joined forces of the Senones, Samnites, Etruscans and Umbrians.
283 B.C. The Senones are forced to submit to Rome.
271 B.C. Rome takes possession of the Senones' lands.
270 B.C. Rome controls all the land that goes from the Strait of Messina to the Rubicone (which is in the lower part of Emilia-Romagna). Although the land belong to the Roman republic its geographic name as a whole will be ‘Italia’. Basically Rome now owns all south and centre Italy (minus Sicily).
264 B.C. Rome and Carthage begin the first Punic war.
241, 10th March B.C. Battle of the Aegates Islands. Rome wins the first Punic war. It also gains Sicily. It won’t considered part of Italia yet but it’ll become Rome's first Province.
238 B.C. Rome gets Sardinia and Corsica, which will become its new Provinces.
219 B.C Rome and Carthage begin the second Punic war.
218 B.C. After invading and conquering part of the Iberian peninsula, Romans created two more provinciae: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior
216, 2nd August Battle of Cannae. Rome's darkest day. During it 50.000 Roman soldiers dies, basically leaving Rome without an army, and, as if this wasn't bad enough a consul (L. Emilio Paolo), 2 quaestors, around 40 tribunes and around 80 senators meets the same end, basically leaving Rome without most of its government staff.
202 B.C Battle of Zama. Scipio defeats Hannibal causing Rome to win the second Punic war.
Around 191 B.C. Rome conquers Gallia Cisalpina (North Italy) and turns it into another Province. However the Veneti, a population residing into actual Veneto, didn’t fight Rome but had friendly relations with it (starting from 225 B.C.), allowing Romans to live in their land, joining their forces to fight the Gauls, which were common enemies, and pacifically becoming part of the Roman Empire. They’re considered tied to the Romans by ‘amicitia’ (friendship) and they’re described as a not war-prone people. In the Roman myth the Veneti are Romans’ relatives (the Veneti’s ancestors would also be people who came from Troy, like Aeneas did).
177 B.C. Rome conquers Istria.
175 B.C. Rome conquers Liguria.
149 B.C. Rome and Carthage begin the third Punic war.
146 B.C. Rome conquers Ancient Greece. With the end of the third Punic war Carthage is completely destroyed.
73 B.C. Spartacus' rebellion starts in Capua (Campania) and with it begins the Third Servile War.
71 B.C. Spartacus' rebellion ends. Spartacus is defeated in the battle near the Sele River (Campania). He's killed in battle and his body crucified.
42 B.C. Gallia Cisalpina stops being a Province and becomes part of Italia.
30 B.C. Rome conquers Ancient Egypt
27 B.C 16th January The Roman republic falls. This is also the date in which the Roman Empire has birth ‘de facto’.
7 Italia is divided in 11 regions. It seems the Italics are the 65% of Roma’s army (it also seems many of them came from north). Italia is also allowed not to pay tributes.
Around 40 It’s assumed the Roman church had birth.
43 Emperor Claudius invaded Britannia.
II century Italics begin to lose importance in the Roman empire, replaced by the descendants of Italics who moved out of Italia to colonize other lands. Roman Italia is going into a phase of decline although it’s still favoured by the Roman emperors.
166 Germans begin to try to invade the Roman Empire. They invade Aquileia (which is in Friuli-Venezia Giulia). According to a myth this is what will push the inhabitant of Aquileia to partially move on the lagoon and give birth to Venice.
192 Emperor Settimio Severo, an African (actually his father was Punic and his mother Roman… but at the time, if your parents were married, what decides who you are is your father’s ancestry… in case your parents aren’t married however, what decides who you are is your mother’s ancestry), decided from now on Italians (Romans included) were spared from military service while everyone else in the empire had to go through it. Since the only way to get the power back then was through military service Italics are mostly cut out from government and from learning how to fight to defend themselves or conquer lands.
212 Constitutio Antoniniana (or Edict of Caracalla). Emperor Caracalla gave full Roman cizitenship to all the free man who lived in the Empire. Goodhearted? Actually, really smart. Roman citizens had to pay taxes. A LOT of citizens meant, of course, a LOT of money.
259 The Gallic Empire has birth. It includes France, Britain and a tiny part of Spain. Rome however will conquer it back in 274.
286 The Roman Empire is cut in two parts. Mediolanum (Milan) becomes the capital of the Western part of the empire.
Around 292 The diocese of Italia has birth. Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica are considered part of it (prior to this they weren’t considered part of Italia). The diocese of Italia is cut in two. Italia suburbicaria (Italy under the City (of Rome)), including south and center Italia and having as capitol Rome and Italia Annonaria (provisioning Italy), including north Italy, with, as capital Mediolanum (Milan) and that has to return to pay tributes.
332 The German population of the Goths is forced to sign a treaty with Rome, in which they take upon themselves the duty to defend Rome's border.
376 The Romans mistreat the Goths who lives in their borders, causing them to revolts.
380/382 The Romans are forced to accept part of the Goths as Foederati (they were bound by treaty (foedus), and althought they were neither Roman colonies nor had they been granted Roman citizenship (civitas), were expected to provide a contingent of fighting men when trouble arose, thus were allies). According to some this is the beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire.
395 The Eastern Roman Empire, later called Byzantine Empire, has officially birth while the Western Empire officially begin its fall.
402 Ravenna became the capital of the Western empire.
410 Sack of Rome.
476 End of the Western Roman Empire. Odoacer becomes the king of the ‘kingdom of the Germans of Italy’ which includes all the Italian peninsula (apart from Venice that will remain under the protection of the Easter Roman Empire), most of Sicily, modern Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia. More fights will follow among the assorted Germans who will try to get control of the kingdom of Italy and the Easter Roman Empire who will try to get back Italy (they’ll manage to get back a good part of south Italy).
752 The Papal State has birth officially although something like that was mentioned in 592 (Duchy of Rome under the Bishop of Rome). However, just in case you don’t know, the Donation of Costantine dated 321 in which the Bishop of Rome was gifted of the city of Rome is false.
954 The count of Ventimiglia hands the town of Seborga to the Benedectine monks of Lerino, giving life to the feud of Seborga.
1173 Despite the Republic of Genoa trying to claim for itself Seborga through legal ways, Seborga is confirmed as property of the monks.
1181 The Republic of Genoa takes under its protection Lerino and therefore Seborga too. However Seborga keeps being politically and administratively tied to the County of Provence.
1697 Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy would like to buy Seborga but the Republic of Genoa presses on the Pope to stop Vittorio Amedeo II from doing it.
1729, 31th January The Savoy manages to buy Seborga.
1815 Liguria and Seborga are annexed to the kingdom of Sardinia. Later they will become part of the kingdom of Italy.
1870, 20th September The Papal State is annexed to the kingdom of Italy.
1929, 11th February The Vatican State has birth. Italy is the first country to recognize its existence.
Around 1960 Seborga wishes to retain its historic independence as a principality.
1993 Seborga elects a 'prince' becoming the only city in Italy who has a major and a prince. It is, however, still part of Italy.
Hetalia canon
In Volume 1 is said that Roman Empire was the one who took control of the Mediterranean and of the wealth of the whole world but that one day he just ‘disappeared’.
In Volume 2 it’s said he fell in love with Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt that he had a relation with Germania (who, according to the manga, is the grandfather of Holy Roman Empire), who once was his bodyguard and that later gave him his fatal wound.
Always in Volume 2, when he tells his history to Germany it’s said Rome had birth in VI century B.C.. He was very small back then and his heart was in Rome. He was united with Italy in 272 B.C. and later hit Carthage.
Germany will add that, according to the myth in 753 B.C. Romulus and Remus declared the founding of a nation, by 509 B.C. Etrusca was exiled due to republicanism then through a revolutionary law plus military power he won over patriots and was united with Italy in 272 B.C.. After that his power spread through Mediterranean sea and beat Carthage.
In volume 2 we see Rome chatting with Germania in Europe B.C.. He also complains he lost a fight against someone and this made him depressed.
Asked why he disappeared Rome said he disappeared because he was an idiot who didn’t realize power and wealth won’t stay forever and when he realized his past glory was deteriorating… he trailed off and didn’t continue his explanation.
In the Chibitalia part is also said (North) Italy lived happily in Roman Empire’s home, next to France. Holy Roman Empire is also shown although he’s not mentioned. It’s said Veneziano has a older brother however he had never met him. One day Roman Empire, his grandfather, took Veneziano away and let him live singing and painting. During this time Roman Empire is showed as an old man in the manga though in the anime he’s still young looking. When Veneziano returned, his brother, Holy Roman Empire and France had turned into bullies.
He later will say that his grandfather fell because he was ‘too big’ and that he had painful scars on his back.
In ‘Boss Spain’s control of Southern Italy’, not yet collected into the volumes, Romano complains all he has is his grandfather’s inheritance and that he doesn’t look anything like his grandfather and that Veneziano is better than him at trade and drawing. Actually, graphically speaking Rome resembles more Romano then Veneziano, although his character is more similar to Veneziano than Romano (I couldn’t find a strip in which Romano specifically said Rome favoured Veneziano but it’s possible I’ve missed it).
In Volume 2 it’s shown that Rome will come back from heaven to see Veneziano. In the webcomic version of this story he also went to see Romano but the pic in which he rubs his face against Romano’s was cut from the manga edition.
In a note Himaruya said that Vatican City is supposed to be an old man who lives near (well, actually he’s inside) Italy, but is very bossy and considered to be an annoyance, which has caused him to be at odds with Italy.
In another note it was said Romano had Arabic blood and, due to this, he has darker skin and hair colour than Veneziano.
History and Hetalia canon. An attempt to mix them together were is possible.
Although the manga calls Rome always Roman Empire it’s implied he started as merely Rome. Due to this I’ll also assume that the Rome talking with Germania in Europe B.C. is likely Republican Rome.
Now, the birth of Italy as geographic region which starts in south and would make Romano as the older of the two Italian brothers is however prior to the birth of Rome.
If
Holy Roman Empire=Germany (Mind you, canon implies this but, so far, never stated it…)
And
Prussia/Teutonic Order= Older brother of Germany= Older brother of Holy Roman Empire
And
Teutonic Order had birth AFTER Holy Roman Empire
it’s possible that Rome isn’t physically the grandfather of the Italies. He took that ‘title’ because they were somehow related and he took care of them and grew enough to be defined their grandfather (the Teutonic Order had birth AFTER the Holy Roman Empire, not prior to it yet Prussia grew up faster than HRE so it's possible he defines himself as his older brother).
However… all we know for sure is that APH canon states the Italys existed already when the Roman Empire existed. It’s possible they had birth when Rome created the diocese of Italy, who was cut in two parts, North and Centre/South (allowing Rome to be part of Romano’s land… because technically south Italy doesn’t include Rome…) and that Ancient Italy, to whom Rome UNITED, was represented by some other character. France, who looks older than baby north Italy, might have had birth with the Gallic Empire had, for some reasons, he didn’t disappear when the Gallic Empire was reabsorbed in the Roman Empire (maybe he grew to represent the diocese of the Seven Provinces?). No idea when HRE had birth.
Now… historically Rome cared/ruled over south for a much longer time than over north and it was south who gave body to the ‘first Italy’. North joined in much later.
However, if Veneziano is tied to the Veneti more than to the North Italian Gauls, this might be seen as him having a tight bond with Rome, a more peaceful nature and a love for trading. In the contrary case north Italian Gauls for a long while had been the favoured providers of Roman divisions which would still cause them to have a bond.
Also, moving the capitol from Rome to Milan might give life to the assumption Rome favoured north Italy (and starts the idea North Italy represented Italy). North Italy would like to disagree because in the meantime Veneziano found himself having to pay a tribute, a thing Romano didn’t have to do (in my head canon Veneziano isn’t fond of people who asks him taxes but it might be just me) but Romano might have confused the thing into his grandfather favouring Veneziano? Especially because this would make Veneziano as the representative of Italy?
In fact there’s to say Veneziano is already used to represent the whole Italy in the strip that sees Italy against the Ottoman Empire and that likely represents the battle of Lepanto (1571) that saw the Holy League formed by the Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily, Republic of Venice, Papal States, Republic of Genoa, Duchy of Savoy, Knights of Malta, Duchy of Urbino and Grand Duchy of Tuscany against the Ottoman Empire. As you can see Romano should have also be involved in the battle but he’s nowhere to be seen.
As for Vatican… the only thing that would make him OLDER than the Italys is to assume he had birth when Christianity reached Rome (to date his birth back to Jesus time would imply he didn’t have birth in Italy), that later evolved in the Papal State, managed to stay alive when the Papal State was annexed to Italy and, in the end turned to Vatican City. It wouldn’t make him that much older than Italy (200 years in the APH world are a rather short time) though he could have aged faster than them. However China and Japan who defined themselves old men, aren’t old looking at all. The only one who had been old looking is the Roman Empire, and this was when/after he began to fall. Prussia however is still young looking even though Himaruya declared he’s going to disappear sooner or later… (No, not Prussia! ;_;) Vatican city isn’t about to fall as far as we know. However there’s to say for any fact about Italy Himaruya had used the Italys, not the Italian states. When Spain conquers the kingdom of Naples we see him conquering Romano, not a State-tan. Romano’s extension is almost the same as the one of the kingdom of Naples? Then what about Austria conquering the Duchy of Milan who’s represented by Veneziano, who also represent the Republic of Venice when they made their law about Gondolas. Veneziano seems to represent the Republic of Florence in Renaissance era too, all things that seem to imply there are no pre Unitarian state-tan in Italy (which is sad, really. Each state had his own history and personality and they would have been so cool to represent…) making hard to believe there was a Papal State.
However, out of late, Himaruya created Seborga, who had been an independent feud in 954 till 1729, giving a chance to over independent Italian states to exist.
Back to Rome. We can see how there had been a long time in which Germans defended Rome’s borders, likely causing Germania to gain the title of Rome’s bodyguard. However the Germans defended the borders by other Germans, causing Germania to end up being also the one who fatally strike Rome.
Now, a fatal blow, generally imply death but in APH Rome ‘disappeared’ with Veneziano.
My guess is this means Rome moved in the East part of the empire. Veneziano, in this moment, represent Venice, who will also stay under the protection of the East Empire. The part involving Rome can be technically historically accurate because, for a long time, the ones who will try to recreate the Roman Empire (among them the Holy Roman Emperors) will have to ‘fight’ for the right to be called as such with the East Roman Empire, whose Emperor defined himself as the only one who can rightfully claim himself as the owner of the right of being called Roman Emperor… though this can also imply Roman Empire=ottoman Empire=Turkey which somehow makes me shudder…
However this would cause Veneziano to return in Italy only during Renaissance when, after Rome’s fall but prior to this, in Italy existed already a kingdom of Italy, that was mostly located in the north and that, always prior to the Renaissance and therefore to the Italian wars, became part of the Holy Roman Empire who was formed by the kingdom of Italy and the kingdom of Germany joined together creating the mystery of a kingdom of Italy who was represented by… no one.
Anyway with this I’ll stop theorizing and I’ll let everyone who managed to read this till now to come up with his own explanation. And if you feel like sharing it you’ll be more than welcome!
PS: weird enough, after writing all this I come up with the weird idea that in APH canon Turkey might end up being Rome's younger brother...