{"product_id":"the-italian-city-republics-9781405859004","title":"The Italian City Republics","description":"\u003cp\u003eDaniel Waley and Trevor Dean illustrate how  from the eleventh century onwards  many dozens of Italian towns achieved independence as political entities  unhindered by any centralising power. Until the fourteenth century  when the regimes of individual tyrants took over in most towns  these communes were the scene of a precocious  and very well-documented  experiment in republican self-government. Focusing on the typical medium-sized towns rather than the better-known cities  the authors draw on a rich variety of contemporary material (both documentary and literary) to portray the world of the communes  illustrating the patriotism and public spirit as well as the equally characteristic factional strife which was to tear them apart. Discussion of the artistic and social lives of the inhabitants shows how these towns were the seed-bed of the cultural achievements of the early Renaissance. In this fourth edition  Trevor Dean has expanded the books treatment of religion  women  housing  architecture and art  to take account of recent trends in the abundant historiography of these topics. A new selection of illuminating images has been included  and the bibliography brought up to date. Both students and the general reader interested in Italian history  literature and art will find this accessible book a rewarding and fascinating read.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45647907389493,"sku":"ByrdShop_1405859008","price":68.19,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781405859004.jpg?v=1781699777","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-italian-city-republics-9781405859004","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}