The Italian Renaissance was a cultural movement during the fourteenth, fifteenth, and early sixteenth centuries that started in Italy and spread across Europe. Perhaps the most influential philosophy that arose from the Italian Renaissance was known as Humanism. Humanist intellectuals and artists sought to revive the culture of the Classical world. The restoration of Classical Antiquity involved rediscovering work from the ancient past and providing translations; moreover, humanists sought to imitate the artistic and rhetorical styles of the ancient Greeks and Romans in their poetry, art, and philosophy.

Humanists believed the Classical world could help them address issues concerning the human condition and ethical problems that plagued their own societies. Instability was a widespread issue across Europe during this time period, with plague and devastating wars bringing most of Europe into a state of crisis by the late fourteenth century. The decrease in population as a result of these calamities led to instability and disorganization. The Italian peninsula in particular experienced severe instability due to power struggles in politics, economic inequality, and a social hierarchy dominated by elites. Humanists wanted to solve the problems in Italy and the rest of Europe by looking to the ancient past. They saw ancient texts as powerful sources of human knowledge and wisdom that could be applied to the social and economic problems of the time period. The Satyrae was one of the many ancient texts consulted.

Humanism had a significant impact on the education system of late medieval Italy. Humanist intellectuals saw it fit to incorporate the humanities of Classical Antiquity into the curriculum of both religious and secular studies. Students studied classical texts, mastered the Latin and Greek languages, and learned about the arts of language and rhetoric. Humanists believed that studying Classical Antiquity was a way to improve society, as it cultivated morals in students and promoted values such as individualism and civil ethics. In sum, the revival of Classical Antiquity led to significant educational reforms that transformed cultural values and shaped Italian society. For this reason, many historians mark the Italian Renaissance as the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of Modernity in Italy.