
This volume opens a meticulous exploration of Florence’s earliest centuries, treating the city not merely as a backdrop for great deeds but as a living organism shaped by its laws and family structures. The author argues that any true understanding of Italy’s political evolution must begin with the statutes of its communes, showing how public and private law intertwined to guide social change long before the more familiar Renaissance narratives.
Drawing on a wealth of medieval legal texts, the work traces how statutes were constantly revised, reflecting shifting power dynamics and the everyday concerns of citizens. By linking the development of civic institutions to the intimate sphere of the household, the author reveals the subtle forces that set the stage for later revolutions. Listeners will come away with a clearer picture of how Florence’s legal fabric laid the groundwork for its later fame, offering fresh insights into the foundations of modern governance.
Language
it
Duration
~8 hours (466K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Carlo Traverso, Barbara Magni and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2015-05-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1827–1917
A leading Italian historian and public intellectual, he wrote vivid studies of Savonarola and Machiavelli and helped bring history to a wide reading public. His career also reached into politics and education, linking scholarship with public life in modern Italy.
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