Were the Capitani Romani genuinely cruisers given their purpose and design qualities?
Short answerThey were very light cruisers by Italian size and tonnage criteria, but functionally they occupied the same boundary region as large destroyer leaders.
NotesThe ships performed the large destroyer-leader function that different navies labeled in different ways. Their displacement and dimensions were just sufficient for Italy to classify them as light cruisers, even though their role and qualities overlapped large destroyers. Comparisons with Dido and Arethusa light cruisers and Tribal-class destroyers show how close the boundary could be.