During the Elizabethan period: - Venice was a very wealthy and popular city known for entertainment, pleasure, and tourism. It was comparable to today's Las Vegas. - Venice controlled a large sea empire and was a center for trade, with people from different nationalities coming to Venice to do business. - While Venice was generally more accepting of different cultures than Elizabethan London, there was still conflict between Jews and Christians. Jews faced restrictions and antisemitism, having to live in ghettos and wear identifying clothing.