About the ancient ligurian presence tells also a legend which explains the name of their city: Mediolanum. According to this legend, two twins have defended the city against ewnemies which attacked from east and west. Thanks to their value the goddess Terra made them immortal by transforming them into two rivers, the Olona on the west and the Lambro on the east. From the ancient name of these two rivers, that is Olano and Medaco, originated the term Medacolano, later latinized to Mediolanum.
Reports about inhabitants of the area bacome more vivid from the 6th century B.C. after the occupation of the Celts. The celts were a mosaic of people from mid-Europe which the Romans called "Galli" from the name of one of their people. It was just the Galli-people who occupied the Insubria region (roughly todays Lombardy) and made Milan its capital. Also the Celts created a legend to give prestige to their occupation in Milan. A sow half covered with wool came to meet a group of celtic riders. The vision of the animal, symbol of abundance for that people, has induced them to found the city with the name Mi-lann, due to the sow's coat half of wool ("metá-lanoso"). The representation of this "scrofa mezzalanuta" is preserved on the building "Palazzo della ragione" in "piazza dei Mercanti".
In 222 B.C. thanks to the conquest of the Insubria, renamed Gallia Cisalpina, by consul Marcello, begins the history of roman influence on the city.
italiano