Turin's story starts with the Taurini, a Celtic tribe. It was key in regional politics, near the Alps. They were tough in war, culturally unique. In 218 BCE, Hannibal rocked up, smashing through the Alps, hitting Taurinia. It showed how open the place was to attack. Romans stepped in later, rebuilding it as Julia Taurinorum, then Augusta Taurinorum.

They brought their style, systems, culture. Big impact. Emperor Augustus did a revamp, stamped the city with Rome's grid layout. That pattern's still there today. Post-Rome, it was a bit of a mess. Goths, Lombards, Franks took turns ruling. Each left their mark. It got stable under the Lombards, then the Franks. Moved from ancient to medieval vibes.