Marco Emilio Lepido

A key figure in Roman history, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus is the main figure who marks the origins of Reggio Emilia. A member of the noble Lepidus family, he was a politician and military commander of the Roman Republic, renowned for his military victories and the major public works that contributed to Rome’s expansion.

His name is inextricably linked to the famous Via Emilia, built in 187 BC: a vital artery connecting Rimini to Piacenza, along which cities arose that remain key players in the region to this day, such as Cesena, Forlì, Faenza, Bologna, Modena and Parma.
It was precisely along this route, during his second consulship, that the first settlement of Reggio Emilia took shape, then named Regium Lepidi in his honour.

In addition to his political career, Lepidus held positions of great prestige: he served as Pontifex Maximus and censor, promoting the construction of temples and major infrastructure, including the Ponte Emilio.

His memory spans the centuries and lives on in art and culture.
During the Renaissance, merchant Gaspare Scaruffi commissioned sculptor Prospero Sogari to create a monumental statue dedicated to Lepidus, which can now be seen at the Ducal Palace in Modena.

In Reggio Emilia, however, an 18th-century statue commemorates him at the entrance to the Palazzo del Comune, set within a striking, dramatic niche that highlights his figure.

His role as founder is also recalled by Giosuè Carducci, who in 1897 described him in words that still resonate today: “Reggio, spirited and graceful, this daughter of the consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus…”.

Strolling through the historic centre, amongst the streets and monuments, it is easy to sense this age-old connection: the city continues to tell the story of its illustrious founder, inviting every visitor to discover the deepest roots of Reggio Emilia.