History
In 64 B.C., the Roman general Pompey added both Lebanon and Syria to the Roman Republic. During and before this time, Phoenicians and Romans exchanged knowledge, habits, and customs. Indeed the veterans of two Roman legions were established in the city of "Berytus" (actual Beirut): the fifth Macedonian and the third Gallic. The city quickly became Romanized, with the descendants of those legionaries from the Italian peninsula.
Between the 12th and 15th centuries the Italian Republic of Genoa had some Genoese colonies in Beirut, Tripoli, Byblos and Jbeil.
In more recent times the Italians came to Lebanon in small groups during the World War I and World War II, trying to escape the wars at that time in Europe. Some of the first Italians who choose Lebanon as a place to settle and find a refuge were Italian soldiers from the Italo-Turkish War in 1911 to 1912. Also most of the Italians chose to settle in Beirut, because of its European style of life. Only a few Italians left Lebanon for France after independence.
Read more about this topic: Italian Lebanese
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