Italy enjoyed another advantage over the other European
countries in its nearness to Rome. Admiration for the ancient Roman
civilization, as expressed in literature, art, and law, was felt by all Italians.
Wherever they looked, they were reminded of the great past which once had been
theirs. Nor was the inheritance of Greece wholly lost. Greek traders and the
descendants of Greek colonists in Italy still used their ancient language; all
through the medieval centuries there were Italians who studied Greek. The
classic tradition thus survived in Italy and defied oblivion.
BYZANTINE, ARABIC, AND NORMAN INFLUENCE
In the Middle Ages Italy formed a meeting place of several
civilizations. Byzantine influence was felt both in the north and in the south.
The conquest of Sicily by the Arabs made the Italians familiar with the
science, art, and poetry of this cultivated people. After the Normans had
established themselves in southern Italy and Sicily, they in turn developed a
brilliant civilization. From all these sources flowed streams of cultural
influence which united in the Renaissance.
