Is there a nation in Golarion that corresponds to Italy (as in the people there are much like those from old Italy)?
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If by "old Italy" you mean Machiavellian society then maybe.
Here's the rub, since historic real world culture and society, not to mention human psychology, is so complex and dynamic, we can see a few motifs and traits in a number of Pathfinder nations -- but we'll see them differently.
For me, Cheliax (northern) seems very Italian-like: Machiavellian yes but even quite modern, urban Italy. That's how it seems to me, personally. It screams it.
Others see it differently.
And lots of folks see a kinda Machiavellian social mentality (if not culture-climate) in decadent Taldor.
Either way, those two seem the most likely candidates.
It depends on how an individual sees Italy and what that implies for that person.
The leader or Pitax is named Castruccio Irovetti, which certainly sounds Italian to me, but I'm not positive. It's supposed to be a center of art and music if that helps.
Taldor strikes me as having been influenced a lot by old Italy. If you're looking for a place to stock with Itallian memes I'd go with that.
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Cheliax has some very Italian-sounding individual names (even if some are downright silly), has a Roman empire-like vibe - shared with the byzantinian Taldor - and Castruccio Irovetti does indeed sound like a late-medieval name (like those from the signorie period). Moreover a number of smaller city-states/places in River Kingdoms scream for a Renaissance Italy theme.
However a "full blown" Italy-like nation is not in Golarion. Which is good, IMHO (I find such direct and complete translations somewhat disappointing).
I think there is some old Italy in the River Kingdoms. It used to be split up into many smaller duchies, kingdoms, etc etc
so politically its a little medieval italy
I'd go with Cheliax. Lots of feuding nobility (medicis and sforzas), they love opera, they used to be a giant empire (Rome) but hare reduced in stature.
They are also very near a country undergoing perpetual revolution (France/Galt) where the Red Raven (Scarlet Pimpernel) is leading the charge.
Granted, Cheliax could ALSO be the Austro-Hungarian empire too, it depends how you want to look at it. But the names suggest Italy to me. The Children of Westcrown were given standard medival Italian names.
It depends. If you want to emphasize the part where the Roman Empire was a giant slavers' racket, then Cheliax. If the romantic part, then Taldor.
Extremely minor spoiler here about Irovetti:
** spoiler omitted **