The Oldest Republic – Episode 9

A small republic on a mountain. Poor soil, hard work, little hope for the future.

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore one of the most important and emotional chapters in San Marino’s modern history: emigration. Between the nineteenth century and the middle of the twentieth century, thousands of Sammarinese left their homeland in search of work, stability and dignity.

At first, migration was seasonal. Workers travelled on foot from the mountain to the plains of Romagna, the Marche or Lazio, looking for temporary jobs as labourers and peasants. But as poverty persisted and new routes opened through railways and steamships, migration became global.

From Argentina and Brazil to France, Belgium and the United States, entire communities of Sammarinese emigrants formed abroad. Some became miners, construction workers and factory labourers; others opened restaurants, workshops and small businesses, building new lives far from Mount Titano.

The episode follows this long journey across borders and oceans, exploring not only the economic causes behind emigration, but also the emotional dimension of departure: the letters sent home, the families divided for years, the uncertainty of travel and the dream of returning one day.

We also explore the impact of Fascism, restrictive immigration laws and post-war migration agreements, as well as the gradual reversal that transformed San Marino, from a land of departure into a country attracting workers from abroad.

At the heart of this story lies a profound contradiction: in order to survive, many Sammarinese had to leave their Republic behind — while continuing to carry it with them everywhere they went.

A small state whose history travelled far beyond its borders.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic #Emigration

Welcome to the history of the oldest republic in the world.

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 9: P. di Luca, Emigration Between the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:01 The Horizon of Departure
04:12 Emigration: from “mount to plain”
06:47 Across the Ocean and across the Border
09:55 Latest Journeys and Returns
11:23 The Legacy of an Exodus

The Oldest Republic – Episode 8

1950s. Around the world, women are gaining political rights. In nearby Italy, women have already voted for the first time. In San Marino, however, change arrives slowly.

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore the long and difficult struggle for women’s suffrage in the Republic of San Marino — a story shaped by political tensions, social conservatism and determined activism.

The episode follows the gradual path that led Sammarinese women from exclusion to participation: from the first campaigns for the right to vote, to the creation of women’s committees and popular petitions, all the way to the historic reforms of the 1970s.

But this story is also full of contradictions. During the years of the social-communist government, it was often the left-wing parties that resisted women’s suffrage, fearing the influence of the Church on female voters. At the same time, many Christian Democratic women became leading voices in the fight for political rights.

From the debates surrounding legal equality and citizenship to the disappointment of delayed reforms, the Republic slowly opened its institutions to women. The right to vote arrived in 1959, but women had to wait until 1973 to gain the right to stand for election.

The episode also traces the emergence of the first female political leaders, from Myriam Michelotti, Clara Boscaglia and Fausta Morganti to Maria Lea Pedini, the first woman Captain Regent in San Marino’s history.

Behind these milestones lies a broader transformation: the gradual change of Sammarinese society itself, as education, work and public life increasingly reshaped the role of women within the Republic.

A small state confronting one of the great civil rights struggles of the twentieth century.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic #Women #CivilRights

Welcome to the history of the oldest republic in the world.

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 8: V. Rossi, Sammarinese Women and The Attainment of Women's Suffrage.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:00 The Historical Context
03:10 The Struggle for the Right to Vote
09:18 A Greater Participation
13:56 The First Woman to become Captain Regent

Dopo la tempesta dei Gracchi, a Roma sembra tornare la calma.
Le assemblee si riuniscono, i magistrati vengono eletti, la Repubblica ritrova una superficie di normalità. Ma sotto le ceneri, il fuoco continua a bruciare.

In questo finale di stagione raccontiamo la figura di Quinto Cecilio Metello, protagonista di una fase di restaurazione politica in cui la nobiltà senatoria sembra riprendere il controllo della Repubblica.

Tra la guerra in Numidia, la frattura con Gaio Mario e il tentativo di riaffermare il prestigio dell’élite tradizionale, la sua vicenda mostra una Roma solo apparentemente stabilizzata.

È il trionfo della nobiltà, ma solo per un momento.
Perché la crisi della Repubblica non è finita: sta solo cambiando forma.

Grazie di cuore per aver seguito questa stagione. Torneremo presto con la terza, per continuare a raccontare la storia della Repubblica romana, passo dopo passo.

I testi sono tratti dal libro "Roma Repubblicana: una storia in 40 vite" di Federico Santangelo, edito da Carocci editore nel 2019 👉 https://amzn.eu/d/244ueFU

Autori del podcast: Federico Santangelo e Giuseppe Giardi.
Video e grafiche: Luca Zucchi.

Lascia un like, iscriviti al canale di Storia in Flanella e attiva la campanella per non perdere i prossimi episodi. Se il prodotto ti è piaciuto, condividilo con chi pensi possa apprezzarlo. Grazie di cuore e, fino alla prossima, saluti!

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#storia #storiaromana #romaantica #podcast

Capitoli
00:00 Una Restaurazione
02:54 I Metelli
05:30 Metello in Numidia
09:19 La Rottura
12:32 Numidico

The Oldest Republic – Episode 7

1960s. A sunny day, tourists arriving from the Riviera, the towers rising above Mount Titano.

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore how San Marino transformed itself in the second half of the 20th century, turning tourism into one of the driving forces of its economy and identity.

After the difficult post-war years, marked by reconstruction, emigration and economic fragility, the Republic began to change. New infrastructures, new roads and new opportunities connected San Marino more closely to the outside world, opening the way to a new phase of growth.

Tourism, together with handicraft and small industries, became central. Hotels multiplied, visitors increased rapidly, and the historic centre turned into a destination for millions. A small mountain state entered the age of mass tourism.

But growth also brought new challenges. Short visits, dependence on the Romagna Riviera and the rise of a “souvenir economy” raised questions about sustainability and identity. San Marino had to decide how to present itself to the world: as a quick stop… or as a place with its own cultural and historical depth.

From international events and sporting visibility to the crisis of the 1990s and the search for a new model, the Republic faced a long transition between tradition and innovation.

In the new millennium, San Marino redefined its tourism strategy, combining commerce, culture and heritage. The recognition of Mount Titano as a UNESCO World Heritage Site marked a new beginning, bringing the Republic once again to the attention of the world.

A small state reinventing itself… through tourism.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic #tourism

Welcome to the history of the oldest republic in the world.

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 7: M. Troilo, The Expansion of Tourism.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:50 Rebuilding, restarting and Golden Years
04:45 Tourism, ideas and identity
07:30 Crisis and relaunch
11:24 The New Millennium

Un corpo viene gettato nel Tevere. È Tiberio Gracco. Non ha onori, non ha sepoltura.

È così che la Repubblica tratta un suo cittadino. Ma i Gracchi non sono uomini qualunque.
Sono figli di una delle famiglie più prestigiose di Roma.

E soprattutto, sono figli di Cornelia.

Celebrata come madre esemplare, ammirata per la sua educazione e la sua cultura, ma anche sospettata, discussa, trascinata dentro uno dei conflitti più duri della storia repubblicana.

In questo episodio raccontiamo la sua figura e il ruolo che ebbe nella costruzione della memoria dei Gracchi, tra politica, famiglia e identità romana.

I testi sono tratti dal libro "Roma Repubblicana: una storia in 40 vite" di Federico Santangelo, edito da Carocci editore nel 2019 👉 https://amzn.eu/d/244ueFU

Autori del podcast: Federico Santangelo e Giuseppe Giardi.
Video e grafiche: Luca Zucchi.

Lascia un like, iscriviti al canale di Storia in Flanella e attiva la campanella per non perdere i prossimi episodi. Se il prodotto ti è piaciuto, condividilo con chi pensi possa apprezzarlo. Grazie di cuore e, fino alla prossima, saluti!

📌 I canali social di Storia in Flanella
Spotify:
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#storia #storiaromana #romaantica #podcast #donne

Capitoli
00:00 Una Minaccia per lo Stato
03:05 Educare alla Politica
06:26 Una Madre nella Contesa
10:35 Tale Padre, tale Figlio?
16:04 Memoria e Tradizione

The Oldest Republic – Episode 6

Summer 1944. Bombs fall on a neutral republic.

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore one of the most dramatic chapters in San Marino’s history: the months when the small Republic became a refuge for tens of thousands of civilians fleeing war, destruction and persecution during the Second World War.

As fighting reaches the Gothic Line, waves of displaced people cross the border in search of safety. For a country of fewer than ten thousand inhabitants, the challenge is immense. Homes become shelters, railway tunnels turn into dormitories, and scarce food is shared among all.

Yet even San Marino cannot escape the violence of war. Allied bombing strikes the Republic in June 1944, causing destruction and civilian casualties, while neutrality proves fragile in a world at war.

Amid fear and hardship, San Marino continues to welcome those in need, including refugees escaping racial persecution. In one of Europe’s darkest moments, the Republic chooses solidarity.

A small republic under the bombs… becoming a refuge for thousands.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic #war #wwii

Welcome to the history of the oldest republic in the world.

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 6: P. di Luca, Displacement During the Second World War.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:30 Bombs on the Mount Titano
05:13 A small state as a shelter
08:02 Shelters of fortune: railway tunnels
10:35 Well-known people, institutions and a return to normality

Quando pensiamo ai Gracchi, immaginiamo spesso due figure isolate.
Ma intorno a loro si muovono alleati, collaboratori, uomini politici decisivi. Uno di questi è Marco Fulvio Flacco.

Console, riformatore, protagonista della commissione agraria e stretto alleato di Gaio Gracco, Flacco porta al centro della politica romana una questione destinata a esplodere: chi combatte per Roma può davvero restarne escluso?

Tra cittadinanza agli Italici, governo dell’Italia del Nord e nuove forme di redistribuzione del potere, la sua vicenda racconta una Repubblica che fatica sempre di più a tenere insieme impero, diritti e consenso.

In questo episodio raccontiamo la figura di Flacco e il ruolo che ebbe in uno dei passaggi più drammatici e decisivi della storia repubblicana.

I testi sono tratti dal libro "Roma Repubblicana: una storia in 40 vite" di Federico Santangelo, edito da Carocci editore nel 2019 👉 https://amzn.eu/d/244ueFU

Autori del podcast: Federico Santangelo e Giuseppe Giardi.
Video e grafiche: Luca Zucchi.

Lascia un like, iscriviti al canale di Storia in Flanella e attiva la campanella per non perdere i prossimi episodi. Se il prodotto ti è piaciuto, condividilo con chi pensi possa apprezzarlo. Grazie di cuore e, fino alla prossima, saluti!

📌 I canali social di Storia in Flanella
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=25d322c4ba784c35
Instagram:
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Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/giuseppe.giardi.7/

#storia #storiaromana #romaantica #podcast #teatro

Capitoli
00:00 Oltre i Gracchi
05:46 Chi combatte per Roma è Romano?
09:57 Governare l'Italia del Nord
12:44 Una nuova Architettura del Potere
16:08 La Casa Vuota

The Oldest Republic – Episode 5

For centuries, a small republic has walked through history.
No empire, no great army — and yet it has survived invasions, pressure and world wars.

In this episode of The Oldest Republic, we explore one of the key reasons behind San Marino’s extraordinary longevity: diplomacy. Through prudence, negotiation and a constant search for balance, the Republic has secured its place in the international system.

We begin with the foundations of sovereignty and legitimacy, showing how San Marino built recognition over time, not through force, but through continuity, institutions and a strong sense of libertas.

From the Renaissance to the age of revolutions, the Republic navigates between powerful neighbours, facing threats such as Cesare Borgia, the ambitions of the Papal State and the crisis of Alberoni’s occupation, always relying on alliances and careful diplomacy.

In the nineteenth century, San Marino strengthens its prestige through neutrality and hospitality, offering refuge to figures like Garibaldi and securing recognition from the Kingdom of Italy.

The twentieth century brings new challenges: Fascism, war and the difficulty of maintaining neutrality in a world at conflict. Yet even in these moments, the Republic remains true to its values, offering shelter to thousands of refugees.

In the post-war decades, San Marino expands its international presence, redefining its role through diplomacy and participation in global relations.

A small state, engaging with the world to survive.

#SanMarino #History #TheOldestRepublic

Welcome to the history of the oldest republic in the world.

Subscribe to our channels to follow the full series:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@storiainflanella/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zuAthwqVO4rRJffD6yzkr?si=3fff127dd1a3495f

This podcast is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs of San Marino, with the support of the San Marino Centre for Historical Studies (University of San Marino).

The texts are based on L. Gorgolini, S. Pivato (eds.), History of San Marino, 2026. This episode is based on chapter 5: M. Chiaruzzi, Foreign Relations of the Republic.

Author: Giuseppe Giardi
Hosts: Carlotta Serra Ciotti and Federica Ghirotti
Video: Luca Zucchi

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:41 Sovereignty and legitimacy
02:48 The strategy to survive: diplomacy and protection
05:07 Among giants
08:54 Neutrality and prestige
12:27 From the Mount to the World: 20th Century