What is "mediolanum"

Mediolanum, the ancient Milan, was originally an Insubrian city, but afterwards became an important Roman city in northern Italy. This article charts the history of the city from its settlement by the Insubres around 600 BC, through its conquest by the Romans and its development into a key centre of Western Christianity and capital of the Western Roman Empire, until its decline under the ravages of the Gothic War, its capture by the Lombards in 569, and their decision to make Ticinum the capital of their Kingdom of Italy.

During the Principate 200 AD the population was 40,000; when the city became capital of the Western Roman Empire from emperor Maximian (286-305) on the population rose to 100,000 people and thus Milan became one of the largest cities in Roman Italy.

Mediolanum ( "Central" or "Midfield") was the name of at least 18 ancient Roman cities and towns, including:

• Mediolanum, modern Milan in Italy.
• Mediolanum Santonum, modern Saintes in France.
• Mediolanum Aulercorum, modern Évreux, France.
• Mediolanum Biturigum, modern Châteaumeillant, France.
• Mediolanum, now Whitchurch, England.
• Mediolanum, another British site placed by Ptolemy in central Wales and sometimes identified with Meifod, Llanfyllin or Caersws

Mediolanum may also refer to:

• Gruppo Mediolanum, an Italian financial services group based in Basiglio near Milan.
• Banca Mediolanum, an Italian bank of the Gruppo Mediolanum
• Mediolanum (train), a name used for international express trains connecting to Milan

Mediolanum was a fort and small town in the Roman province of Britannia. Today it is known as Whitchurch, located in the English county of Shropshire.

Mediolanum S.p.A. was an Italian financial services company based in Basiglio, in Metropolitan City of Milan, founded by Ennio Doris in 1982. Mediolanum Group was headed by Mediolanum S.p.A., until reversed merger with subsidiary Banca Mediolanum in 2015.

Doris remains the chief executive officer and largest shareholder with around 40% of the company today. The second-largest shareholder with over 36% is Berlusconi's Fininvest. Mediolanum is active in the banking (as Banca Mediolanum and Banco Mediolanum in Spain), life insurance and mutual fund sectors and aims much of its products towards individuals and families. The firm also operates in other European countries, notably Spain where it owns Fibanc.

The company Mediolanum S.p.A. was listed on the Borsa Italiana and was a constituent of the FTSE MIB index until the end of 2015 when it was merged with Banca Mediolanum.

The word Mediolanum has been used to name three distinct international express trains that have run to and from Milano Centrale in Milan, Italy since 1957. The focus of these trains on the city now known as Milan reflects the fact that Mediolanum is the Latin word for ancient Milan.