The city of Mediolanum

Cities called " Midland" or" Mediolanum" there were at least eight cities in Gallia
Up to 1500 the city name was explained in other way.
According to some the name would derive from an ancient Gallic coat of arms that represented a sow with the only back covered of wool. Therefore Mediolanum would mean "middle-fleecy", or better with the wool "in the middle" of back.

"The Middle-fleecy Sow" bas-relief
on the side of "Reason's Palace " - Mercanti Street

Legends apart, about 300 before Christ, Milan was the capital of the Gallics-Insubri.
Between the first one and the second Punic War, the Romans departed to the conquest the North of Italy, and in 191 BC. the whole Insubria was subjugated at their dominion.
Close to the small Gallic center, the Romans built a strengthened field, and the two little towns lived side by side for various centuries.
Under the Diocletian emperor (111 century AD), Mediolanum became the chief town of the "Gallia Cisalpina". Buildings, temples, theaters, thermal baths, schools embellished it to the point that the city became so important to have called it "the second Rome."
Its trafficis and commercial exchanges with other countries became intense, thanks above all to the great quantity of wheat and the rich breedings of livestock.
To the beginnings of the IV century AD, the Maximan emperor made of Mediolanum the capital of the West Roman Empire, encircling it with walls including the Gallic city and the Roman city. This town-walls was strengthened with defensive towers and surrounded by a depth ditch feed by waters of the nearby torrents.

In 313 AD the Constantinus emperor emanated in Mediolanum the famous" Edict" that put on end the persecutions against the Christians.
In the following period, the city reached the maximum shine under the guide of one of the greater characters of her history: St.Ambrose.

Costantino emperor