The origins of this beautiful city are lost in time and in legends and fascinating history is closely linked to the whole area of Pozzuoli and the Campi Flegrei.
Funerary objects unearthed at Pizzofalcone place the birth of Naples in the seventh century BC when the Greeks colonized the Gulf and headed toward the mining of the Tirreno emporiums.
The Greeks, Phoenicians and Etruscans in contrast, are those who have left the deepest traces of their settlements and their dominion over the entire coast of Naples.
The function of this ancient trade and cultural colony of Magna Graecia in southern Italy was very important, the area was in constant turmoil for the competition of neighboring peoples, and only after the victory of the Greeks of Syracuse on the Etruscans at Cumae in 474 BC the core is moved by creating a new city, more inland, the current Spaccanapoli, both for safety and to facilitate trade with the hinterland.
This new settlement was called Neapolis, or New Town.
The strategic importance of Neapolis, could not escape the attention of the Romans and in 326 BC colony of Rome was declared officially and was later a Roman municipality.
Rome, however, recognized the autonomy of the city, which initially kept the costumes and the Greek language and just under that domain the entire coast of Naples became one of the most populous and flourishing of the whole region
For the mild climate and the beautiful landscape, grand villas were built not only in Naples, but also in Cuma, Pozzuoli and the area of Posillipo where there are remains of important Roman buildings.
With the crisis of the Roman Empire greatly changed the history of Naples and was characterized by periods of strong invasions, in 536 Justinian, Emperor of the East, sent Belisarius to conquer the city; in 542, Naples was invaded by the Goths, and again in 553 by the Byzantines.
Later the city had to reject strong crude and enemies as the Lombards and Vandals. After an attempt at independence in 615, which led to a short-lived autonomous government, the emperor of the East in 661 instances of the Neapolitans welcomed by appointing a Neapolitan duke at the head of the city: Basil.
Over the centuries of the ducal government, Naples was often opposed to the Lombards and Saracens, and so resorted at times to the support of other people, called to help in the form mercenary Neapolitan defenses.
This was the case of the Normans, who was granted the fief of Aversa in exchange for the resistance to the expansionist ambitions of Benevento.
But these, under the dynasty of the Altavilla, soon they could not longer be content with their role, and undertook a series of brilliant campaigns that brought them to the conquest of Sicily, which drove the Arabs, and then to extend their sights on South Italy. Roger II, who made himself proclaimed king, occupied various areas of the Region and in 1137, with an agreement with Duke Sergius, in fact imposed his power on Naples; the death of the duke, Ruggiero acknowledged autonomy to the city, and appointed a supervisor. With the death of Ruggiero in 1154, succeeded Guglielmo I, wise and just ruler, and then the history of Naples is tied closely to that of Palermo.
After him, Guglielmo  II, the Good, ruled so wisely, and at his death an assembly of nobles, prelates and representatives of the people, to prevent the kingdom from falling into German hands, Tancred as his designated successor, but at his death, the German king Enrico VI also took possession of the whole of southern Italy.
After three years of the reign of Enrico VI, there was the throne of Frederick II, widely regarded as the greatest king that ever was on a throne in Europe.
A man of great culture, he created for his kingdom a strong central power, reorganized the government, justice, military, trade, became involved in some military exploits of success in Germany and in Jerusalem, but, more importantly, you must remember that he loved being surrounded by poets, philosophers and writers, and gave the city of Naples the first University of the story.
Conrad was succeeded by Frederick's death and at his death the new ruler of Naples was Conrad that for the young age was supported by his uncle Manfred.
In 1266 Charles of Anjou, brother of the king of France, defeated Manfred and assumed the crown of the kingdom of the South, making it the capital of the kingdom.
Despite a high tax burden, with the new rule the city changed its face: beautiful churches were built, factories, monuments, there was a development of handicrafts and trade, and the population increased dramatically, so that Naples became the first city in Italy, probably second in Europe only to Paris.
Charles died in 1285, succeeded by Charles II, which brought improvements to the city's architectural heritage also a good legislator.
In 1309 ascended the throne of Naples Robert of Anjou, called the Wise, lover of literature and art, which created a significant intellectual climate, promoted the legislative studies, promoted the construction of the church of St. Clare (in which there is his tomb), and a great flowering of the Gothic style (the churches of S. Lorenzo, S. Paolo Maggiore, Incoronata, Basilica of San Domenico Maggiore).
After the death of Robert (1343), his niece Giovanna caused many problems to the city with its frivolous and foolish behavior; at this time, plague, unrest and Hungarian raids plagued the city and the throne of Giovanna fell after forty years of reign by the hand of his grandson Charles Durazzo of Anjou, however died a few years later.
The lineage of Durazzo, the secondary branch of Anjou, took the throne of Naples, after Charles, the young Ladislao and at his death, his sister Giovanna, also dedicated, as its eponymous ancestor, the more love affairs and scandals that the activities of government.
The Angevin rule ended in 1442 with the victory of Alfonso of Aragon and was followed by his son Ferdinand, under which the whole area of Naples fruition of a great agricultural and commercial exploitation.
In 1503 began the period of the viceroy for Naples which lasted for over two centuries until the sale to the empire of Austria in 1713 and followed than by Bourbon kingdom.
The viceregal period was for bad the economy but fruitful for the culture and jurisprudence; archeology gained international fame in 1709 with the discovery of the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
Garibaldi's victory sealed the final changeover to the Bourbon of Naples to the Kingdom of Italy, bringing the city to painful social economic conditions, only partially mitigated by the revenue produced by the current foreign tourist.
Since II World War, which resulted in the death and destruction in the housing and artistic, Naples has followed the history of Italy, and, despite the enormous social and political problems from which he suffers, it remains one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in the world.