Today let me talk about a commemorative plaque affixed on the XVI century façade, designed by Michelangelo, of the Palazzo Senatorio, which reminds us one of the darkest moments of the recent history of Rome, which, however, was cleverly transformed into a political act. Keep in mind that we are at the Capitoline Hill, one of the most important ares at the Eternal City. And it is not a case...

I speak about the flood of December 26th of the 1870 and the consequent arrival in the city of the King Vittorio Emanuele II. Only a few months before Rome was taken by the soldiers of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy, forcing the pope who decided to close himself in his apartments at the Vatican hill, immediately naming himself as a political prisoner. On the 26th of December, 1870, because of the many rains that fell above all to the mount, the Tiber river grew bigger so much to overflow in several places. Iconic places such as the Piazza del Popolo, the Pantheon, Piazza Colonna or the Via del Corso were completely flooded. Often the power of the water, which could reach even higher heights to 15 metres at certain points, it was the last of the problems. You had to save the people who decided to hide in the basement, put as first in safety, the buildings more dilapidated, to avoid the possible spread of disease. More than the material damage caused by the flood itself, in fact, it was better to save the savable, avoiding, above all, the continuation of emergency situations that would have easily caused plagues and epidemics.

Consider now how a flood was nothing strange for Rome and the Romans, who, since the antiquity and up to the realization, at the end of the XIX century, of the so-called Muraglioni, had to bitterly fight with the whims of the river. However, in a moment, so tragic for Rome, the Italian Government advised the King to go personally in the city. By train from Florence, although the railway lines were partially blocked, or destroyed, Vittorio Emanuele II arrived in Rome. And that was the first time ever, after the taking of the city with the so called Breccia di Porta Pia.

For the first time, also, the King of Italy, was in Rome, in quality of leader that could bring support, economic and political. Vittorio Emanuele II arrived at four in the morning to Termini station, accompanied by some ministers of the Government. On that occasion, the King also attempted the thaw with the pope Pius IX, who, after the conquest of the city, I remember that he considered himself a political prisoner and war. The King also donated a considerable sum to the town, to recover from the flood. It was probably all a barrage of propaganda designed to show, in the flesh, that the man who actually and officially ruled Rome, he was present and active, ready to support the city in its time of need. Excatly as the ancient roman emperors showing off their effigy on the coins in widest circulation. And sometimes, for the roman people, the presence was enough...