Only Italy could be in such a short time, many artists and so many poets and writers: Leonardo da Vinci Michelangelo Bonarroti Raffaello Sanzio Ludovico Ariosto Niccolò Machiavelli Francesco Guicciardini … The Renaissance began in the Italian city-states in the 15th century. The Renaissance was a “rebirth” of Greco-Roman ideals and culture. A combination of things–revival of trade, wealthy patrons, a new urban middle class and the discovery of Greco-Roman manuscripts in the Middle East–contributed to the Renaissance. Though the Renaissance began in the Italian city-states, it spread throughout Europe with long-lasting impact. The Renaissance revived the Greek ideals of versatility and moderation as goals to which one should aspire. Versatility is the ability to do many things well. Moderation means not to overdo any single thing. A person who successfully applied both reached Renaissance ideals for individual growth. Leonardo da Vinci is considered to be the “true Renaissance” man.
In the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, many Greek scholars and artisans flooded Italy, bringing with them the Greek language and the historical ties to the earlier classical era (Greco-Roman). This spurted a revitalized interest in these things, especially in Italy as they looked around them and saw all the remnants of Roman culture and greatness. Coinciding with the rise of humanism, there was an interest in returning to the original sources (ad fontes). Eventually, Renaissance ideas and ideals spread throughout Europe, empowering and enabling several other developments, including the Protestant Reformations.