Mare Nostrum

[2] The term Mare Nostrum originally was used by the Ancient Romans to refer to the Tyrrhenian Sea after their conquest of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica during the Punic Wars with Carthage.

By 30 BC, Roman dominion had extended from the Iberian Peninsula to Egypt, and Mare Nostrum began to be used in the context of the whole Mediterranean Sea.

Mussolini wanted to re-establish the greatness of the Roman Empire and believed that Italy was the most powerful of the Mediterranean countries after World War I.

[7][8] When World War II started, Italy was already a major Mediterranean power that controlled the north and south shores of the central basin.

The invasions of Albania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Egypt, and the Siege of Malta sought to extend Axis control over the Sea.

The Roman Empire at its farthest extent in AD 117. Note, however, that the Sea is called Mare Internum, "Inner Sea," on this map.
Map of the Roman fleets and major naval bases during the Principate
Italian Libya in 1912
Map of the Italian Mare Nostrum in the summer of 1942, during World War II : in green the territories controlled by the Italian Navy , in red the territories controlled by the Allies .
Fenice is one of the eight corvettes of Minerva class with the role of surveillance of fisheries; from November 2013 it took part in the Operation Mare Nostrum rescuing the boats of illegal immigrants coming from North Africa .