Editing Lucca (section)

=== Antiquity ===
The territory of present-day Lucca was certainly settled by the [[Etruscans]], and it also has traces of a probable earlier [[Ligures|Ligurian]] presence (called ''Luk'' meaning "marsh", which was previously speculated as a possible origin of the city's name), dating from the 3rd century BC. However, it was only with the arrival of the [[Roman Republic|Romans]] that the area took on the appearance of a real town. It obtained the status of a Roman colony in 180 BC and of a municipality ([[municipium]]) in 89 BC.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Roman Lucca {{!}} Turismo Lucca|url=https://www.turismo.lucca.it/dove-andare/lucca/la-citta/lucca-romana|access-date=2022-01-12|website=www.turismo.lucca.it}}</ref><ref name="h.f.ullmann">{{cite book|last1=Haegen|first1=Anne Mueller von der|last2=Strasser|first2=Ruth F.|title=Art & Architecture: Tuscany|year=2013|publisher=H.F.Ullmann Publishing|location=Potsdam|isbn=978-3-8480-0321-1|page=57|chapter=Lucca}}</ref>

The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient [[Forum (Roman)|forum]]. The outline of the Roman [[amphitheatre]] is still seen in the [[Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, Lucca|Piazza dell'Anfiteatro]], and the outline of a [[Roman theatre (structure)|Roman theater]] is visible in [[Sant'Agostino, Lucca|Piazza Sant'Agostino]]. Fragments of the [[Walls of Lucca#The Roman Era|Roman-era walls]] are incorporated into the church of Santa Maria della Rosa.

At the [[Lucca Conference]], in 56 BC, [[Julius Caesar]], [[Pompey]], and [[Crassus]] reaffirmed their political alliance known as the [[First Triumvirate]].<ref name="h.f.ullmann" /><ref>Boatwright, Mary et al. ''The Romans: From Village to Empire'', pg 229.</ref>