Emilian people


The Emilian people, or Emilians, are an ethnic group native to the historical region of Emilia.

Etymology

Emilians take their name from the Via Aemilia, a Roman road constructed by the consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus in 187 BCE to connect Rimini with Piacenza which gave the name to Emilia region. The name was transferred to the district as early as the time of Martial, in popular usage. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries Aemilia was frequently named as a district under imperial judges, generally in combination with Flaminia or Liguria and Tuscia.
The district of Ravenna was, as a rule, from the 3rd to the 5th century, not treated as part of Aemilia, the chief town of the latter being Placentia. In the 4th century Aemilia and Liguria were joined to form a consular province; after that Aemilia stood alone, Ravenna being sometimes temporarily added to it. Today the area of Ravenna is part of Romagna.

Geographical distribution

Emilians are not just native to the Emilian part of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, Emilian historical region includes part of the Tuscan province of Massa-Carrara, the southern part of Lombard province of Mantua, the Transpadana Ferrarese in Veneto and sometimes the ex circondarios of Tortona, Voghera and Casalmaggiore are included too.

Culture

Languages

The Emilian-Romagnol language, more specifically the Emilian dialects, is the native language of the Emilian people. It belongs to the Gallo-Italic group.