that makes it special, Italian, ancient Rome, they had conquered the known world, while some peoples ancestors where running around naked, eating berries, and painting themselves blue. Then again in WW II they could not beat the Ethiopians who had spears, and they had machine guns and tanks... OK were special.
Flip-----Eventually though, the Italians did beat the Ethiopians, and Haile Selassie had to seek exile in Geneva. The Romans did build the very first real road, the Via Appia in 312 BC, and it's still in better shape than I-95 in S FL.