The oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world was founded on this day 1711 years ago as a monastic community by a stonecutter named Marinus. As a Christian, Marinus was subject to persecution by the Roman authorities, and he had fled from the Roman-controlled island of Arba (now known as Rab) some years previously to escape the persecution, eventually living as a hermit on Monte Titano.
Marinus built a chapel and monastery on Monte Titano, and the monastic community founded on 3 September 301AD became the state of San Marino, an enclave within Italy near the east coast. The largest and bloodies official persecution of Christians continued in the Roman Empire for another decade under the Emperor Diocletian until the practice of Christianity became lawful under Emperor Constantine.
In the year 1600 the Constitution of San Marino was adopted. It is the oldest written constitution still if effect anywhere in the world. With a territory of just over 60 square kilometres and a population of around 33,000, the country is the world’s smallest republic. Some 97% of the population claim to be Roman Catholic.