Essay Ravenna
Located in northeast Italy in the Emilia–Romagna region and the capital of the province bearing its name, Ravenna is internationally celebrated for its stunning ancient mosaics and rich history. Ravenna's prosperous past is evident in its wealth of still–standing examples of Byzantine art and architecture. Positioned near the Adriatic Sea on a marshy plain, Ravenna has served as a strategic ?capital three times: of the western Roman Empire, of Theodoric King of the Goths, and of the Byzantine Empire in Europe? (History, par. 1). By delving into Ravenna?s history, as well as its remarkable artistic achievements, the reasoning behind its popularity in tourism becomes clear.
Ravenna was formed by the buildup of centuries of silt deposits ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...The surrounding marshes provided a natural line of defense and its location at the crossroads of the northern and southern peninsula made it exceptionally challenging to capture. These were all influences in its allure as a bastion of control.
?The exact date of Roman control remains a mystery, as much of Ravenna?s past, although the first record of a Roman fleet to reach the city was in 82 BC. Caesar chose Ravenna as his headquarters while negotiating with the Senate and later as his base when launching various military campaigns on surrounding areas. While there, he is thought to have begun construction on the port of Classe (initially known as Classis), which served as the catalyst for Ravenna's first rise to greatness. Emperor Octavius Augustus oversaw the port?s completion and, realizing its strategic location, made the port the principal base for a fleet, 250 ships strong, to defend the ?Adriatic Sea and the waters of the near eastern Mediterranean (History, par. 9). Augustus also created a canal, known as the Fossa Augusta, linking the port to the southern branch of the Po. This canal permitted waters to flow around the city walls to fortify Ravenna?s defense and through the center of the town to facilitate transport and commerce. With the port as the focus of the city, Ravenna flourished as a town of trade and industry (especially ship building). Though the port?s value waned by the sixth century
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