L'Araba Fenice

The volume analyses the evolution of papal Rome from the plague of 1656 until 1870, the year in which it became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The authors, through the use of original sources, investigate the main crises that have affected the city, from health scourges such as plague, smallpox and cholera, to environmental disasters linked to the Tiber, to famines and the management of natural resources. They also examine political and financial crises, with the weight of public debt and the budgets of a State in transformation, exploring the identity challenges of a cosmopolitan Rome, the heart of the Baroque and a privileged destination of the Grand Tour. Through these themes, the book shows how Rome has been able to react with resilience in the face of dramatic events, transforming crises into opportunities for adaptation and political, economic and social renewal.