[2][3] The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Siena" established by order of the Provisional Government of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany of 2 July 1859 with the 3rd and 4th infantry regiments.

On 25 March 1860 the Brigade "Siena" entered the Royal Sardinian Army three days after the Kingdom of Sardinia had annexed the United Provinces of Central Italy, which included the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

On 6 November 1940 a beachhead across the Thyamis was established, but the division immediately had to turn to a defensive stance because of the rapid pace of Greek reinforcements arriving.

[2][5] To plug the gap caused by the Greek breakthrough after the Capture of Klisura Pass the Siena returned to the front on 25 January 1941 along the line from Qafa e Kiçokut to Monastery Hill (Height 731) north of Këlcyrë.

The division, together with the LI Special Brigade remained in Crete until September 1943, when Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile with the Allies.

[2] In October 1943 about 2,000 Italian POWs from Crete were killed, when the ship MS Sinfra that transported them to mainland Greece was sunk by US and British planes.

Another 2,670 Italian POWs from Crete drowned in February 1944, when the ship SS Petrella was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Sportsman.