Rome: This interior city-state was not a major player in industry or trade but was a center for artists, scholars, and the Church.
Venice: This was the first major city-state, due in part to its ideal location for trade with the East.
Florence: This northern city-state was known as a center of banking and trade and was home to wealthy families who supported the arts.
Milan: This city-state in the plains of northern Italy was a strong military power and supporter of the arts
Naples: This southern city-state had poor farmland. Despite this, its social structure and economy were largely based on agriculture.
etc. the primary industry in Naples was trade and commerce because its location gave the city a clear advantage in the international trade.
The city-states rose to greatness partly because of their locations. Being close to the Mediterranean, these cities were able to access the Byzantine and Muslim worlds of the east and served as a passage for both trade and ideas to Europe.
