[1] The Jewish community of Rome is probably the oldest in the world outside of the Middle East, with a continuous existence from classical times down to the present day.

[2] The Roman Ghetto was established as a result of papal bull Cum nimis absurdum, promulgated by Pope Paul IV on 14 July 1555.

The area of Rome chosen for the ghetto was one of the most undesirable quarters of the city, subject to constant flooding by the Tiber River, but where Jews amounted already to 80% of the population.

[4] The wall started from Ponte Fabricio reaching the Portico d'Ottavia; from there it ran along today's Via del Portico d'Ottavia (not including the ancient fish market (Italian: La Pescheria)); at Piazza Giudea (which was cut in two), it bent again, running along Vicolo Cenci (today Via del Progresso) until it reached the Tiber again.

Christian owners of houses in the ghetto could keep their property, but, because of the jus gazzagà (right of possession), they could neither evict the Jews nor raise rents.

[5] Life in the Roman Ghetto was one of crushing poverty, due to the severe restrictions placed upon the occupations that Jews were allowed to perform.

[Note 3] In case of a draw of five numbers of that kind, the Romans said that on that day in the ghetto there was taking place a great feast.

Jews of Rome were required to swear yearly loyalty to the Pope at the Arch of Titus, which celebrates the Roman sack of Jerusalem of 70 CE.

Each year, on the Campidoglio, the Rabbi had to pay homage to the chief of the city councillors ("Caporione"), receiving by him in exchange for it a kick to his bottom.

Since the area could not expand horizontally, the Jews built vertical additions to their houses, which blocked the sun from reaching the already dank and narrow streets.

The great number of people living in such a small area,[Note 9] together with the poverty of the population, caused terrible hygienic conditions.

On 17 April 1847, a group of young men from Trastevere broke open the gates of the ghetto after they had been closed for the night.

Following a brief period of exile, however, during which time Rome was controlled by a second Roman Republic[13] which strongly opposed Church power, the Pope issued a new series of anti-liberal measures, including re-instituting the ghetto.

The Papal States ceased to exist on 20 September 1870, when they were combined with the rest of the peninsula into the newly created Kingdom of Italy.

Indeed, the Risorgimento troops who arrived to wrest control of Rome's government away from the Catholic Church were treated as liberators and conquering heroes by many Jewish residents.

It is described as "one of the Rome's most charming and eclectic neighborhoods, [...with] restaurants serving up some of the best food in the city",[15] such as the Roman Jewish speciality of fried artichokes, carciofi alla giudìa and filled zucchini blossoms, fiori di zucca.