Since if the Italians were Romans, how come they haven't establised another Empire?

1) Italians aren't Romans, just as British aren't Teutonic 2) Italy was a thriving, very densely populated (for that age) and wealthy country in Middle Ages also. Genoa and Venice were strong medieval sea powers. Northern and Central Italy was divided in many cities-states often squabbling among themselves; yet no feudal kingdom succeeded to conquer them. Loss of political power came in XVI cent. when most Italian territory came under foreign power's hegemony. Why ? a) between xv and xvi cent. in other European countries Modern States came into existence: governments had a tighter grip on nobles than a feudal king did and they mobilized large professional armies b) the discovery of Americas gave free access to a plentiful resources to countries located on Atlantic shore: Britain, Spain, France are located on Atlantic Ocean. Italy don't

They now do it in a more subtle way. They let other people get on with the colonising, and then move in quietly and get on with their lives. Italians are to be found everywhere in the world! They still have the sense of adventure and enterprise, but they are less interested in administration and law keeping. They are still the best at building roads. Italy under Mussolini did have a go at building an empire in Abyssinia. If you ever visit Eritrea (not everyone's choice of a destination at the moment) you will find it very like Italy in the 1930s.

Well, the Brits were originally Neanderthals, so why haven't they moved back into caves? See how dumb you question sounds? People and civilations evolve. The Italians are descendants of Romans, but the times and events don't dictate them acting as their forebearers did. g-day!

Zeus gave up on them.

The Roman Empire finally went pear shaped in 1453 (Fall of Constantinople). Meanwhile the Renaissance was happenning in Italy and Calcio (an Italian forerunner to the beautiful game of football) was born.

Romans weren't Italians.

Now Italy has a cultural dominion in the world. All people eat as us, wear as us, listen our best music, buy our clothes, our shoes, our furnitures, cars, bikes and so on. It is not an empire founded on army, only a magnificent cultural influence. Ciao.

Benito Mussolini tried to do just that. In the 1930's, he invaded Ethiopia, trying to re-establish the North African provinces. He invaded Jugoslavia and Greece (the former diocese of Illyria in the Roman Empire). But he was defeated during the WWII.

They declined and fell. Famous for it. There are books about it and everything. Also most of them are too laid back to bother these days!