Question

Why was the Roman Empire not referred to as the Italian Empire?

Answer 1

When Rome had its empire there was no such entity as Italy. Even in the middle ages there were still city states in the area which is now Italy. Italy as a political entity did not happen until much later.. . The Roman Empire was goverened by Rome where the Emperor resided and all the elements existed there.

Answer 2

It is the city where empire established and named after that. It is the modern nomenclature which quotes country names.... . In past it is the place where the empire started or the empire has its fort/palace.

Answer 3

Because back in the day it was ROME, not Italy that controlled the empire. That chunk of land didn't always carry that name.

Answer 4

There was no Italy in that time. Instead, in the territory we now call "Italy", there were several tribes and city-states: Romans, Etruscans, Venetians, Sicilians, Sabines, Gauls (way up in the north), Sardinians, etc.. . One thing to also keep in mind was that the world was "smaller" back then (meaning that what we see as countries NOW, were considered continents back then, and an entire continent was basically the world).

Answer 5

Italy as a country did not exist until its unification led by Garibaldi towards the end of the 1800s

Answer 6

Ancient Rome was one of many "Italic" city states. The term Italia existed as the name of the peninsula. Among the peoples of ancient Italy were the Greeks (in the south) the Etruscans (in "Tuscany") the Marsi (in the central lakes area,) the Saminties (in the southern hill country) and the Latins (and Sabines with their women) in the Tibur plain. Over time (and after many wars) Rome became the dominate city, and after 386 b.c. (when Rome itself was attacked,) formed an Italian League to defend the peoples of Italy against the Gauls. For almost 300 years, the Italian "allies" fought along side Rome against the Gauls, Hannibal, the Germans, etc. But in 91 b.c. the Italian people started a civil war because Rome refused to grant them equal rights in their "league." The new state was called italia. Rome won the war, so the subsequent empire was Roman not Italian (it took another 100 years and Julius Caesar to give "equal" rights to all the peoples of Italy.) For a full history of the Italic (or Social) War try here:. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_War

Answer 7

Italy as we know is a quite recent country. Created under Vittorio Emanuele II regency and executed by Garibaldi (his militar arm - Garibaldi also fought in Brazil - other war - before Italy). It happened near to 1861. . . Rome (Roma) is the principal city of Roman empire.

Answer 8

Because the ruling city was Rome. Its domain would expand over the centuries, but still the ruling center was the city of Rome.

Answer 9

Because the people who ran it called themselves Romans

Answer 10

It is called the Roman empire because Rome was the capitol of the empire and the political and social center of the Mediterranean.. . However, Italy existed before the modern state. In ancient times, the province of Italia extended from the Po River in the north to the toe and heel in the south. All people therein were considered 'Italian' or 'Italic' but usually Romans were distinguished as a special Italian people.