| According
to legend, Marino left the island of Rab with his
lifelong friend Bibo and went to the town of Baha,
where he became a President to the bishop Gaudientium.
After persecution because of his Christian sermons,
he fled to the hill known as San Francisco, where
he built a small church and thus founded what is
now the city and the state of San Marino. The official
date of foundation of the Republic is 3 September
AD 301.
During the early phase of
the Italian unification process of the 19th century,
San Marino served as a haven of refuge for numerous
persons who were persecuted because of their support
for Italian unity. In memory of this support,
the leader of the newly unified Italy accepted
the wish of San Marino not to be incorporated
into the new Italian state.
San Marino is thought by
many to be Europe's oldest existing republic.
The head of state is a committee (council) of
two captains
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