Italian explorers and discoverers have had an undeniable impact on the world. Individuals like Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo are well known; others are all but absent from traditional history books.

The Age of Exploration and Discovery coincides with the beginning of the Renaissance, a period that spans six centuries and is recognized as one of the greatest intellectual revolutions the world has known. During this time, Italy was not a unified country, but a collection of maritime republics and city states.