Racism in Italy has been present throughout the country's history. In particular, the Fascist State has openly adopted racist principles since late 1930s, following the conquest of Ethiopia. Benito Mussolini is often quoted as saying: "the white man has to subdue the black, brown and yellow races". Fascist racism, while still advocating the clear superiority of the White European civilization, is not a supremacist theory; rather, the Italian race, legitimate heir of the Roman Empire, has the sacred task and duty to bring the Roman Ideals and civilization to other peoples (mainly the African peoples); the War on Ethiopia was declared on these theoretical grounds. While, according to Fascism, the White race as a whole (also due to the fact that it was the home of the Christian faith) is supe