Emilia-Romagna - Centre of Trade

The name Emilia-Romagna has its history in the Roman legacy of this area. The region was named after the Aemilian Way, a Roman highway built at the height of the Roman empire. During the Middle Ages, trading activities, politics, culture and religion flourished in the monasteries and in the University of Bologna, which is the oldest university in Europe.

In the 16th century, most of the small dukedoms became part of the Papal States, but the territories of Parma, Piacenza and Modena remained independent until Emilia-Romagna became part of the Italian kingdom in 1859, one of the first regions to commit to the new regime. Emilia-Romagna covers most of the Po valley, reaching from west to east, which has to led to great wealth in terms of agriculture and industry, as well as a fine gastronomic tradition.