How was the early medieval past weaponized to forge modern Italian identities? Imagine landscapes where Lombard history and archaeology were manipulated to serve nineteenth-century nationalism and fascist ideologies. This groundbreaking study investigates the political appropriation of the Longobards in Italy, uncovering how Lombard-period heritage was mobilized to shape national and local identities. By examining rare, unpublished archival records and period sources, the book demonstrates how historical narratives are constructed and reframed, proving that history and archaeology as disciplines are never neutral.
Essential for historians, archaeologists, and scholars of nationalism, this volume offers vital insights into the instrumentalization of the Middle Ages.