Italy

Italy is a modern day power in Europe, which controls the Italian penninsula. Italy has a great history as far as the mighty Roman Empire is concerned, but modern history? Not so much.

Pre Roman
Farming arrived in Italy around 2500 BCE, and cultures developed. The Etruscians grew powerful and annexed the northern part. Other civilizations colonized Italy. The Greek city-states annexed Sicily and Naples, while Carthage took Sardinia and Corsica.

Early Roman
The Latin culture took some area on the west coast of Italy, and founded some city-states. One of them was Rome. Rome conquered its neighboring city-states and invaded Eturia. It annexed them and defeated the Greek states in southern Italy. It then went to war with Carthage three times in the Punic Wars, annexing most of Iberia and North Africa, Carthaginian troops was consisted of men riding in elephants, and spearmen and many more during the Punic Wars, all led by Hannibal.

Middle Roman
Rome then invaded Gaul (France) and Macedonia for supporting Carthage in the Punic Wars. It then invaded Pegamon, Albion (Britain), Egypt, and the Selecuids. Rome also attacked Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Germania, but was beaten back. The Roman Empire was split about 200 years later.

Byzantines and Franks
When Rome split, the western empire fell in 476 when the Ostrogoths captured Rome. The eastern empire, the Byzantine Empire, attacked in conquered the Ostrogoths. However, the Lombardi, a Germanic tribe, conquered the northern part. The Byzantines never expanded past Naples again. Around 600 CE, the Franks had expanded into present-day France and Germany. They invaded the Lombards and the pope crowned their king, Charlemagne, as emperor. After his death though, the empire broke into three kingdoms, two of which united to form the Holy Roman Empire.

HRE and city-states
The HRE governed the Italians poorly, and they rebelled twice as the Lombard League. In the south, the Papal States and become independent, and the Normans landed in Naples to form the kingdom of Sicily. Sicily, however was invaded by Aragon. In the north, various parts of Switzerland, Italy, and Austria became city-states. Soon, one city state, Venice, had conquered Illyria and Venetia.

99batran
Italy would be one of the most dominant countries in the European Union.

Zephyrus
1. Italy passes her economic crisis, starts improving their economy and become a strong power again (likely)

2. Italy becomes Facsist again (not likely)

3. Italy conquers nearby countries and becomes and empire again (not likely)

Multi
Italy conquers the world with Germany and Japan.