The Renaissance marked change for the whole of Europe, a time where ideas and political climate began their journey to what we know today. Classical ideas were rediscovered and applied to art and thought, a movement that had its birth in Italy in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Many of the events, artists and philosophers that we associate with the Italian Renaissance came out of Florence, a large city in Northern Italy. Under the guidance of the powerful Medici family, Florentine citizens enjoyed a thriving economy (based on their textile and banking industries) that allowed them to build and patron artists whose works would be the glory of the period. Artists like Michaelangelo and Botticelli made a great impact on the art world, past and present.

Aside from art and architecture, education boomed in a way it hadn't since the fall of Rome. Literacy was on the rise and universities like the Plato Academy (started by Cosimo de Medici) were opened to explore new ideas. Other intellects of note would be the infamous Machiavelli, another important historical figure of Renaissance Florence.

It is in this world, that Damon and Stefan Salvatore were born. Though exact dates weren't given, we do know that their mortal lives were in the 15th century, placing them in the height of activity in Florence. I interpret from the bits and pieces we learn about their father from Stefan's flashbacks, that the Salvatore family was a very wealthy and probably influential families of the city. With at least one son off at university (and had Stefan remained mortal, he surely would have followed), it is certain that both would have been very much aware of this revolution of culture.