Piadena (; ) is a former comune in the Province of Cremona, Italy. On January 1, 2019 it merged with Drizzona to form Piadena Drizzona. It is approximately 30 kilometers east of Cremona; in addition to Cremona, Piadena is nearly equidistant from Parma (about 40 kilometers), Brescia (about 50 kilometers), and Mantua (about 35 kilometers), and this geographic position has made the town an important center of reference for the small towns in its surroundings. The territory is located on the right bank of the Oglio River in the plain north of Casalmaggiore. Piadena is also a major railway junction. Its station is located at the crossroads of the railroads Brescia-Parma and Cremona-Mantua. State Road 10 Padana Inferiore runs through the town from west to east, and State Road 343 Asolana runs from north to south. The local economy is primarily dependent on agriculture, with minor industry, food, and metallurgy also present. History Piadena was inhabited as early as prehistoric times, as proven by archaeological finds in the area. In the Neolithic, primitive peoples lived in huts located on high ground and in lake settlements in the Bronze Age. The etymology of Piadena is unknown: one relatively old version attributes the name to the exarch of Ravenna, Giovanni Platina, who erected the castrum Platinae here in 686. Other historians believe that the center was founded by an Etruscan settlement. The locality is mentioned in a 990 deed by which the Cremonese bishop donated the castle to the Monastery of San Lorenzo in Cremona. In 1019, it was ceded by the Marquis of Tuscany, Boniface of Canossa, to the bishops of Cremona. It was torched in 1306 by the Guelphs of Brescia and Mantua after being troubled for two centuries (13th and 14th century) by conflicts between Guelphs and Ghibellines. After being occupied by the Gonzagas, it was passed to the Visconti in 1348, who improved its defenses and erected watchtowers (the "torrazze di Salvaterra"), which can still be seen on the local coat of arms. It was seized by the Venetians in the 15th century but quickly recovered by the Duchy of Milan. The Sforza family bequeathed it to the Sanseverino family in 1494. It was a fief of several families, including the Oscasali of Cremona and the Araldi. In the 17th century, Piadena was sacked during the war that pitted the Count of Modena against the Spanish. During the