Florence is by no means as old as other Italian cities: it is younger than Rome and Naples, but still it can boast Roman ancestry. It was founded as a fort a little removed from the north bank of the River Arno, which developed over time into a prosperous Roman town. Florence was caught in the fighting between Guelph and Ghibelline during the middle ages and was devastated by the Black Death. Its golden age was during the late XIV, XV and early XVI centuries, when it was the birthplace and centre of the Early Renaissance. This is the city which the visitor will first notice, on arrival. Florence did not cease to develop, however, and later episodes of its history are the German occupation during II World War and the 1966 flood.