Po Valley

The Po is a big river in Northern Italy with a very fertile valley. It runs from the Western Alps to the Adriatic Sea. The Po Valley region is bordered by Etruria, Umbria and Picenum to the south, Venetia to the east and the Alps to the north and west.

Urban development began in the Po Valley much later than in southern Italy or Greece. The first known ancient inhabitants of the thick forests and swamps were the Ligurians, an Indo-European race of people. After the progressive immigration in the 7th century BC of Celtic peoples known as the Insubres (hence the name of Insubria sometimes being given to northwestern Lombardy), the southern and central regions were conquered and colonised here and there by a pre-Indo-European people, the Etruscans, who left names such as Parma, Ravenna and Felsina, the ancient name of Bologna. The Etruscan domination left significant marks and introduced urban civilisation, but was short-lived. As the 5th century BC dawned, a new Celtic horde swarmed through the passes of the Western Alps and conquered most of the Po Valley. This invasion from the north did not reach Veneto, its inhabitants, the Venetics, likely being a distinct group who, being skillful merchants, were, in time, also culturally influenced by both Etruscans and Greeks.

The Gaulish conquerors, divided in major tribes as the Boii (from whom Bologna, Bononia, is named), the Taurini (whence the name of Turin), the Cenomani and the previous Insubres dwelled mostly on the plains, in time absorbing the Alpine populations. A warlike people, they even raided and burnt Rome itself in 390 BC under a leader named Brennus. Roman revenge took time, but was total and definitive: Celtic languages disappeared from northern Italy, replaced by Latin culture. This transformation occurred following the Romans' victory over the Gauls at the Battle of Clastidium and then Hannibal's final defeat at Zama. By 196 BC, Rome was master of the woody plains and soon displaced the Etruscans, dotting the region with bustling colonies, clearing the land, fighting the last rebel tribes and gradually imposing its own civilisation.

Factions

 * Ligures
 * Insubres
 * Cenomani
 * Veneti
 * North Etruscans (Replaced by Boii in the Pyrrhus Campaign)

Cities

 * Vercelum
 * Taurasia
 * Caburrum
 * Bagiennorum
 * Clastidium
 * Libarna
 * Stalia
 * Comum
 * Golasecca
 * Mediolanum
 * Ticinum
 * Acerrae
 * Bergomum
 * Brixia
 * Verona
 * Mantua
 * Parma
 * Mutna
 * Felsina (Renamed to Bononia in the Pyrrhus Campaign)
 * Adria
 * Spina
 * Ravenna
 * Ateste