Much of the history of Lazio can be described with one word – Roman. But it would not be right to say that the Romans were the only ones to leave their marks on the region. We should not forget that for a long time the headquarters of the catholic church have been in Rome, or rather the Vatican. For many hundreds of years Lazio has therefore been the central point for solving or creating conflicts between church and empire, or other more worldly orientated individuals.
Poring over medieval history it becomes clear that the old saying that ‘all roads lead to Rome' is right. The papal power was so immense that an excommunication issued by the Vatican could lead to kings losing their authority. Consequently at some point all the reputable German-Roman emperors, Norman kings and other heads of state had to go to Rome in an attempt to placate the papal state.
The many outstanding Renaissance artists, including Michelangelo and Rafael, who visited Rome and used their talent to decorate many of Rome's churches should also be remembered.
