The Venetian Republic

Venice has a fascinating history of trade, war, and industrial prowess. Over the course of the last week I have studied all these things and gained a stronger understanding of Venetian history. I learned about their numerous wars with the Ottoman Empire and their establishment as a refugee city by Romans fleeing Gothic and Hun invasions. I also studied their entrance into the salt trade and how exporting salt became the foundation of their tremendous wealth for years to come. The need to trade this salt was the wind in their sails which pushed them to become an empire based on maritime trade.

I am hoping that this increased understanding of Venetian history will make my experience all the more interesting as I will be more knowledgeable about Venice's many landmarks. It also excited me to see things which I would otherwise not have understood such as the Venetian arsenal which I found was one of the worlds greatest factories.

-DS