[decimon]

I'm really skeptical. This is not a robust methodology and there are a lot of opportunities for bias/skewing in the basic data, analysis and reporting.

I'm taking this as an additional and not exclusive approach to estimating the population. And I'm taking it to mean the population of little more than the Italian peninsula. Big assumptions on my part in the lack of a more complete account.

[Liberty1970]

OK, that would make a lot more sense (for the Italian peninsula itself).