History of Venice: From Its Founding to the Unification of Italy

The history of Venice is as unusual as its watery location on 120 islands in the Adriatic Sea. The special feature of that history is, as Althea Wiel points out, "the preponderance of the state, and subservience of the citizen; for Venice was an exacting mistress, and all who served her had to abrogate self and devote themselves heart and soul to her service." How did this state of affairs come about? According to the author, it was there from the beginning.