In this territory was called Latium Novi to differentiate it from Latium veteres, which indicated the original boundaries.During the Augustus administrative system, Latium together with the present region of Campania was the first Italian region.The strengthening of the religious and ecclesiastical aristocracy led to continuous power struggles between lords and the Roman bishop until the middle of the XVI century. Small communes, and Rome above all, opposed the lords power raise and with Cola di Rienzo tried to put themselves up as antagonists of the ecclesiastical power. Innocent III tried to strengthen his own territorial power, wishing to assert his authority on the provincial administrations of Tuscia, Campagna and Marittima through the Churchs representatives, in order to tear down the Colonna's power.Between 1353 and 1367 the restoration of the pontifical authority brought to a total retrieval of Latium and the rest of the Pontifical States. Other popes tried to do the same.During the Avignon period the feudal lords power increased thanks to the absence of the Pope from Rome.