Rome

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"Roma is the pillar that holds our entire enterprise aloft. She cannot waver; which means neither can you."

―Cesare Borgia to his allies.

Rome (Italian: Roma) was a major city in Renaissance Italy, capital of the Papal State and headquarters to the Italian sect of the Templar Order. During the modern era, it was the capital city of the Italian Republic.

History

Database entry

Evidence suggests a human presence in the area of Rome for at least 10,000 years. The mythology of early Rome tells us that the city was founded by Romulus who was raised in a cave with his brother Remus by a she-wolf. Apparently, the two infant boys took nourishment from her teet (a story like that must be true, right?).

Archaeological evidence supports that Rome did in fact grow from pastoral settlements on Colle Palantino, the future site of the Roman Forum, upon which there are several caves. Eventually, the Republic of Rome was founded in c. 510 B.C.E. The successful and wealthy Republic gave birth to the imperial Roman Empires c. 27 B.C.E., which were sprawling territories ruled by succeeding emperors.

When the empire fell in 476, and the Roman Catholic Church took power in 756, Rome continued to be both an economic and cultural powerhouse in Europe. In the mid-14th century, Florence surpassed Rome as the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance. This irked the papacy to no end so they set about spending vast amounts of money and resources, commissioning architects and artists to create masterworks in an effort to bring the focus back to Rome.

The result of this vanity driven ambition was an unmatched creative and scientific output that is still marveled over today. It's safe to say that Rome is, historically, one of the most important cities in western history and, arguably, the world.

The Beginning of an Empire

According to legend, two brothers were given a choice, the money or the kingdom; one chose the kingdom while the other chose the money. Both of the brothers had two fine daughters. One brother used his money to hire mercenaries, and stole the kingdom from his brother, the King, imprisoning the King's daughter in the process. Whilst imprisoned, she gave birth to twin boys (Romulus and Remus).

The new king ordered that her and the children be killed; however, the daughter of the new king pleaded that her cousin be spared, so the new king ordered that only the twins be executed, while the daughter be spared. The servants feared the river because of high-tide and so, instead of drowning the twins, they simply placed them near the shallow section of the river, thinking they would still die when the tide came in.

The twins floated down the river until they were found and cared for by a wolf and a bird. A shepherd saw the twins and, remembering a rumor about the twins surviving; he took care of them and raised them as his own until the old king heard of the twins. Together they reclaimed the city, and when their grandfather asked them to guard over the city and become its rulers they refused the offer, as they believed it was their grandfather's kingdom, not theirs; so they decided to build their own city, Rome.

Archaeological evidence supports that Rome did in fact grow from pastoral settlements on Colle Palatino, the future site of the Roman Forum, upon which there are several caves. Eventually, the Republic of Rome was founded in c. 510 B.C.E. The successful and wealthy Republic gave birth to the imperial Roman Empires c. 27 B.C.E., which were sprawling territories ruled by succeeding emperors.

In 476, the empire fell and the Roman Catholic Church managed to take power in 756. After that, Rome became an economix and cultural powerhouse in Europe, even though Florence surpassed Rome as the centre of Italian Renaissance. Due to the rivalry between the two cities, the papacy spent vast amounts of money to create cultural masterworks.

Roman era

Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire, and was ruled by the Templars under the alias "Senatus Populusque Romanus."

On the 15^th March 45 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar was killed by the Assassins, led by Marcus Junius Brutus.

In the year 41, the Assassin Leonius assassinated the Templar Caligula in Rome, whom he stabbed with a dagger.

Renaissance era

In 1476, Rodrigo Borgia, Grand Master of the Templar Order and a powerful figure in Vatican politics briefly left the city to discuss his Order's plans, before returning to affirm Papal approval. Assent was given, and the Templars were provided with military support for their endeavors.

In 1492, Rodrigo became Pope Alexander VI, and head of the Papal State and Catholic Church. Ruling from Rome, he was left alone by the Assassins for the most part, until 1499, when Ezio Auditore da Firenze learned that the Vault was located in Rome, beneath the Sistine Chapel.

In 1500, following the Siege by Cesare Borgia on the Assassin headquarters of Monteriggioni, Ezio Auditore returned to Rome to exact his revenge. Rome at the time, had fallen far behind its fellow cities of Florence and Venice, and grown stagnant in terms of development due to the influence of the Borgia.

The Borgia maintained oppression over the city with Borgia Towers located throughout Rome, which prevented shops from opening. In order to free Rome of the Borgia influence, Ezio killed the overlords of the towers and burned the structures themselves to the ground.

Additionally, due to the loss of Monteriggioni, Ezio established the Assassins Guild in Rome, and set up its headquarters on Tiber Island. By recruiting several Roman civilians as Apprentice Assassins, the Assassin Order worked to free Rome of Templar control.

Panorama of Rome

Panorama of Rome during the late 15^thcentury.

Structure

The city is divided into four districts: Centro, Antico, Campagna, and the Vaticano District. With the exception of the Vaticano district, these were also subdivided into 12 territories, each one controlled by a Borgia Tower.

Landmarks in Rome included the Pantheon, the Colosseo, the Passetto di Borgo, the Castel Sant'Angelo and Cappella Sistina.

Assassination Targets

15^th century

• Rodrigo Borgia (DNA Sequence 14: The Vault)

16^th century

• Juan Borgia (DNA Sequence 5: The Banker)
• Octavian de Valois (DNA Sequence 6: The Baron de Valois)
• Micheletto Corella (DNA Sequence 7: The Key to the Castello)

Trivia

• The city of Rome is the largest city ever seen in the Assassin's Creed series. It is three times larger than Florence, the first city featured in Assassin's Creed II.
• In-game, the city is tilted roughly 15 degrees to the right from real life.
• While Rome and Florence's architecture were historically similar during the game's time period, the developers of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood designed Rome with its later Baroque style to be more familiar to gamers.
• The area where Ezio climbed up to the Castello from the river in Assassin's Creed II seems to be missing in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
• The buildings seen north of the Passetto di Borgo in Assassin's Creed II do not appear in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Gallery

• Concept art of the Castel Sant'Angelo.
  Concept art of the Castel Sant'Angelo.
• Concept art of Rome.
  Concept art of Rome.
• Ezio riding through the city towards the Pantheon.
  Ezio riding through the city towards the Pantheon.
• Rome map used for Abstergo Industries' Animus Training Program.
  Rome map used for Abstergo Industries' Animus Training Program.
• Rome at sunset
  Rome at sunset
• 
  Bird-eye view of Rome.
• The centre of Borgia control, the Castel Sant'Angelo
  The centre of Borgia control, the Castel Sant'Angelo
• A wide view of the Centro district, seen from the Mercato di Traiano.
  A wide view of the Centro district, seen from the Mercato di Traiano.
• 
  Panoramic view of Rome at night
• 
  Roman rooftops at night
• 
  Panoramic view of Rome at dusk

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