Piacenza

Sister cities

• Potenza
• Erfurt
• Tolyatti
• Placentia
• Plasencia

History

Before its settlement by the Romans, the area was populated by other peoples; specifically, just prior to the Roman settlement, the region on the right bank of the Po River between the Trebbia River and the Taro River had been occupied by the Ananes or Anamari, a tribe of Cisalpine Gauls. Before then, according to Polybius, "These plains were anciently inhabited by Etruscans" before the Gauls took the entire Po Valley from them. in May 218 BC, Piacenza and Cremona were founded as Roman military colonies. The Romans had planned to construct them after the successful conclusion of the latest war with the Gauls ending in 219 BC. In the spring of 218 BC, after declaring war on Carthage, the Senate decided to accelerate the foundation and gave the colonists 30 days to appear on the sites to receive their lands. Each colony was to be settled by 6,000 Roman citizens, but the cities were to receive Latin Rights; that is, they were to have the same legal status as the many colonies that had been co-founded by Rome and towns of Latium. The reaction of the region's Gauls was swift; they drove the colonists off the lands. Taking refuge in Mutina, the colonists sent for military assistance. A small force under Lucius Manlius was prevented from reaching the area. The Senate then sent two legions under Gaius Atelius. Collecting Manlius and the colonists, they descended on Piacenza and Cremona and successfully placed castra there of to support the building of the city. Piacenza must have been walled immediately, as the walls were in place when the Battle of the Trebia was fought around the city in December. There is no evidence either textual or archaeological of a prior settlement at that exact location; however, such a site would have been obliterated by construction. Piacenza…

Geography

Climate in this area is humid subtropical with no dry season, constantly moist. Summers are hot and sultry. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfa" (Humid subtropical climate).

Most-observed species

• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  280
• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  252
• Common Buzzard

  Buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  186
• Eurasian Kestrel

  Falco tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  182
• Gray/Purple Heron

  Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  180
• Cattle Egret

  Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  159
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  148
• Great Egret

  Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  144

Most recent

• M 3 — 2025-10-03
  1 km SE of Montescano, Italy
• M 3 — 2024-05-22
  1 km N of Collecchio, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2024-02-17
  3 km SE of Basilicanova, Italy
• M 4.2 — 2024-02-09
  1 km ENE of Pilastro, Italy
• M 3.1 — 2022-10-04
  2 km NW of Bogliasco, Italy
• M 4.4 — 2022-09-22
  3 km SW of Bargagli, Italy