Chapter 2 Summary and Analysis

Florence was founded by an individual named Catiline who fled from Rome. He found a small hill town called Fiesole where he settled until a Roman expedition came and forced him out. Catiline and a warrior called Fiorino fled and built a camp on the river Arno. This becomes the city of Florence after Caesar finds them and starts to build a city there. There are still signs of the Roman occupation in the city if one knows what to look for and where to look. There are various stories about the founding of Florence but this is the most common. Another story has the city being rebuilt by Charlemagne.

Florence has many underground locations just as many other cities do. There are crypts, temples, pillars and other ruins. There is a statute of the Florentine heraldic lion that figures prominently...