Spoleto

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

THe Dukedome of Spoleto commonly called Ducato di Spoleto, is so called from the Citty Spoleto, which was heretofore the Palace of the Dukes of Lombardy. It was heretofore called Vmbria. It may bee clearely collected out of Strabo that the bounds of Vmbria were heretofore very large, who make the Apennine Mountaine, and the Hadriatick Sea to be the bounds thereof. Some doe make the length of it to be from Ravenna to Tiberis, which is a 1650. Furlongs, or 1128. Furlongs and an halfe. The Country is here full of high rugged Mountaines, and there garnished and trimmed with Hills, which doe yeeld great store of Wine, Oyle, Figges, and others fruits, and then againe it openeth into fertile and fruitfull Plaines. The Citties of the Dukedome of Spoleto are Eugubium, which is seated at the foote of the Apennine, and there lyeth a pleasant faire Plaine before it. Some would have it to be that which Silius calls Inginium: Cicero Iguvium: Ptol. Is•vion. It is an old Towne, and of great Antiquity. It is now a populous Towne, and the Inhabitants doe live by dressing and spinning of Wooll. The soyle is partly Mountainous, partly Champion. And it hath every where great store of Corne. Neuceria also cleaveth to the side of the Apennine, the Itinerarie Tables doe call it Nucerium. commonly Nocera, and in their language Fulignum or Fuligno, it is above an hundred and threescore Furlongs from Perusia. Sibus Italicus calleth it Fulginia. Timia is devided with a little poore streame. In the Market place there are three Palaces: in one of which there doe dwell the 7. men called Fulginates, before whom all civill controversies are brought, who beare that office for two yeeres: in the other the Praetor who judgeth of more waighty causes, and his office lasteth sixe moneths: in the third is the governour, who hath chiefe power under the Pope. Assisum was so called from the Mountaine Asts neere unto it, Ptolemy cals it Aesisium, Strabo Aesium, it is commonly called Ascesi, and S•si, it hath a Bishop. Here S. Francis was borne, who instituted the Order of Minorite Friers, and it hath a sumptuous Church. Here is also a well-furnished Library. Mons Falco is a new Towne seated among pleasant Hills, and very populous, B. Clara, who founded the Order of S. Clares Nunnes, was borne here. There is also Spoletum, from whence Vmbria was called the Dukedome of Spoleto. It is commonly called Spoleto, Strabo and Ptolemy doe call it Spol tium. It hath an unequall situation, partly on a Plaine, and partly on a Hill, on which there is a strong Castle built out of the ruines of an Amphitheater. It is now a faire Citty, abounding with plenty of all things. There is besides many other ancient Edifices, as the foundation of an Amphitheater, and the old Church of Concordia without the Citty, and there are pieces of Aquaeducts, which were cut out of the Apennine, and partly conveyed to the Citty thorow bricke Vaults and Channels. Ceretum is a new Towne but populous, from whence the Ceretain are now called Errones, or wanderers, who travell thorow all Italy under the pretence and colour of sanctitie and religion, and get their living by divers Arts. The Castellanian Bridge, or Ponte Castello was built by the Ceretanians. Here Iohn Pontanus was borne, a famous, learned man. Conissa is a new Towne seated on a Mountaine, but very populous. That which Strabo calleth Interamna, and Antoninus Interamnia, and the Irinerarie Tables I•teramnium; is commonly called Terni, or Terani: it aboundeth with all things necessary, and is very populous. The River maketh the soyle very fruitfull. Vernaccia hath excellent Wine. Tud•r is an ancient Citty situate on a pleasant Hill, adorned and garnished with Figges, Olives, Vines, and other fruits. It hath these Lakes Floridum, Velinum, Cutiliensis. And besides Inginium which Strabo mentioneth, it hath these Mountaines, Eugubinum, Floridum, and others. There are also the Crustumenian Mountaines, out of which the River Asia floweth with a deepe Channell. There is all Fiscellus which Pliny calls the top of the Apennine, whence the River Nar issueth from two Fountaines; it is now called Monte Fiscello. There is also a part of the Apennine, which is called Mons Victor, where it lifteth up his high top above the Castle Arquata, and seemeth to exceed it selfe in height, and thence it is called Mons Victor, because it exceedeth the rest in height. The Inhabitants are more warlike then the other people of Italy. The Bishop Ariminensis is subject to the Archbishop of Ravenna. There are these Bishopricks in the Dukedome of Spoleto, Assisinas, Fulginas, Nucerinus, Eugubinus, Spoletinus, Tudertinus, Ameliensis, Narniensis, Interamniensis.