Mediolanum

Mediolanum/Milan

Founded around 600 BC by the Celts, in 222 BC is was captured by the Romans led by consul Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus. Mediolanum was important for its location as a hub in the road network of northern Italy. During the Augustan age Mediolanum was famous for its schools; it possessed a theater and an amphitheatre. In the third century Mediolanum started to mint coins. In 286 Diocletian moved the capital of the Western Roman Empire from Rome to Mediolanum. He chose to reside at Nicomedia in the Eastern Empire, leaving his colleague Maximian at Milan. It was from Milan that the Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, granting tolerance to all religions within the Empire, thus paving the way for Christianity to become the dominant religion of the Empire. There were Christian communities in Mediolanum, which contributed its share of martyrs during the persecutions. In 402, the city was besieged by the Goths and the Imperial residence was moved to Ravenna. In 538, during the Gothic War, when Mediolanum was laid waste by Uraia, a nephew of Witiges, King of the Goths.