Terni

Terni is the capital of Southern Umbria Province.
Already inhabited in the protohistoric era, it became a crucial hub in Roman times, thanks also to its proximity to the city of Carsulae, and to the Marmore Falls and known as Intermna Nahars.

Theater of important events during the period of the Empire, such as the surrender of Vitellius’s troops to the legions of Vespasian, the attribution of the imperial auctoritas L. Septimius Severus by the Senate and the killing of the Emperor Trebonianus Gallo and his son while fighting against the legions of Emilio Emiliano.

Following the death of the Emperor Aurelian, it was precisely a Ternano who was elected Emperor of Rome: Marco Claudio Tacito. The new emperor punished those who had killed Aureliano, rearranged the road network and faced Goths and Heruli, also engaging in the war against the Persians initiated by Aureliano.

Another important character that has allowed the city of Terni to be known in the world is San Valentino: celebrated on February 14, it was bishop of Terni for all his life even if his origins are not known.

Not only in the ancient period, but even later in the centuries, Terni was part of those outposts that defended Rome from the attacks and for this already in the seventh century it was already a Free Municipality.

At the beginning of the fifteenth century it was a very rich and developed state city thanks to trade and manufacturing industry. It was also free from papal control, both militarily and politically.

In the sixteenth century it hosted among its streets some of the most important condottieri and patrons of the period, who gave it much prestige in the cultural sphere and not only in the commercial sphere.
Terni’s military policy was unparalleled in the area and moved against other strong cities in the region such as Narni, Spoleto, Todi and Rieti. Thanks also to alliances and especially foreigners, it was Terni that put an end to the aggressive Narnese policy, plundering it and destroying it in 1527 during the famous Sacco di Narni.

Until the end of the 1700s, the city of Terni experienced a period of relative tranquility that lasted until it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy when it was submitted to the canton of Spoleto.

In 1800 the ironworks was born, which started the construction of as many “factories” and of Carbide and Hydroelectric plants, thanks to the proximity of the Marmore Falls.

In 1940 it became the first city to produce weapons of war, thanks to the arms factory where most of the city’s inhabitants worked. It was for this reason that in 1943 it was bombed by the allies who destroyed it and halved its population, since it was not reported in time.
The city was rebuilt in the 1950s and the arms factory was decommissioned in favor of what will become Italy’s most important steel works.