Part 4/10:
To understand the Via dei Fori Imperiali's origins, we must delve into the context of early 20th-century Italy. After World War I, a sense of disillusionment pervaded the nation due to unmet expectations from the victory. Amid rising communism and dissatisfaction with capitalism, Benito Mussolini emerged, promising a resurgence of greatness. His campaign heavily relied on the allure of ancient Rome—even establishing a new era, the "era fascista," to further cement his regime’s connections to the past.