Milan is a city in Northern Italy. It was originally named Mediolanum by the Romans which means "in the midst of the plain." It was originally founded by two Celtic families, the Bituriges and the Aedui, whose emblems were the ram and the boar creating the crest of the wool-bearing boar as the symbol for this ancient city.

In 222B.C.E. the city was captured by the Romans after being previously ruled by the Celts, and was declared the capital of the Roman Empire in 293 C.E. In 402 C.E. it was besieged by the Visigoths and the capital was moved to Ravenna, in 452 C.E. the Huns overran the city, and in 539 C.E. the Ostrogoths captured and destroyed the city in a series of wars against the Byzantines called the "Gothic Wars." Finally in 569 C.E. the Longobards captured Milan and surrendered the city to the Franks in 774 when the area was being invaded by Charlemagne.

During its rule under the Holy Roman Empire the area was a propserous trade city and was also home to large religious structures such as the Comune di Milano shown below.