Editing Modena (section)

===Ancient times===

The territory around Modena ({{Langx|la|Mutina}}, {{Langx|ett|Mutna}}) was inhabited by the [[Villanovan]]s in the [[Iron Age]], and later by [[Ligures|Ligurian]] tribes, [[Etruscans]], and the [[Gaulish]] [[Boii]] (the settlement itself being Etruscan). Although the exact date of its foundation is unknown, it is known that it was already in existence in the 3rd century BC, for in 218 BC, during [[Hannibal's invasion of Italy]], the Boii revolted and laid siege to the city. [[Livy]] described it as a fortified citadel where Roman magistrates took shelter. The outcome of the siege is not known, but the city was most likely abandoned after Hannibal's arrival. Mutina was refounded as a Roman colony in 183 BC,<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Modena |volume=18 |pages=641–642}}</ref> to be used as a military base by [[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (consul 187 BC)|Marcus Aemilius Lepidus]], causing the Ligurians to sack it in 177 BC. Nonetheless, it was rebuilt, and quickly became the most important centre in [[Cisalpine Gaul]], both because of its strategic importance and because it was on an important crossroads between [[Via Aemilia]] and the road going to [[Verona]].

[[File:Modena Piazza Grande.jpg|center|thumb|800px|A view of Piazza Grande]]

In the 1st century BC, Mutina was besieged twice. The first siege was by [[Pompey]] in 78 BC, when Mutina was defended by [[Marcus Junius Brutus the Elder|Marcus Junius Brutus]]<ref name=EB1911/> (a populist leader, not to be confused with his son, Caesar's best known assassin). The city eventually surrendered out of hunger, and Brutus fled, only to be slain in [[Reggio Emilia|Regium Lepidi]]. In the civil war following [[Caesar's assassination]], the city was besieged again, this time by [[Mark Antony]], in 44 BC, and defended by [[Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus|Decimus Junius Brutus]].<ref name=EB1911/> [[Augustus|Octavian]] relieved the city with the help of the Senate (see: [[Battle of Mutina]]).

[[Cicero]] called it ''Mutina splendidissima'' ("most beautiful Mutina") in his ''Philippics'' (44 BC). Until the 3rd century AD, it kept its position as the most important city in the newly formed province [[Emilia (region of Italy)|Aemilia]], but the fall of the Empire brought Mutina down with it, as it was used as a military base both against the barbarians and in the civil wars. It is said that Mutina was never sacked by [[Attila]], for a dense fog hid it (a miracle said to be provided by [[Saint Geminianus]], bishop and patron of Modena), but it was eventually buried by a great flood in the 7th century and abandoned.

In December 2008, Italian researchers discovered the pottery center where the oil lamps that lit the ancient Roman empire were made. Evidence of the pottery workshops emerged in Modena, during construction work to build a residential complex near the ancient walls of the city. "We found a large ancient Roman dumping filled with pottery scraps. There were vases, bottles, bricks, but most of all, hundreds of oil lamps, each bearing their maker's name", [[Donato Labate]], the archaeologist in charge of the dig, stated.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}