Again, as Athens displayed more of a Panhellenic feeling than any other Greek city, so Florence was invariably more alive to the interests of Italy at large than any other state of the peninsula.

Florence, like Athens, was the center of culture for the nation.

Like Athens, she give laws to her sister towns in language, in literature, in fine arts, poetry, philosophy, and history.
Without Florence it is not probable that Italy would have taken the place of proud pre-eminence she held so long in Europe.

Florence never attained to the material greatness of Athens, because her power, relatively to the rest of Italy, was slight, her factions were incessant, and her connection with the Papacy was a perpetual source of weakness.

But many of the causes which ruined Athens were in full operation at Florence.