Sutri
Encyclopedia
Sutri is a town and comune
in the province of Viterbo
, about 50 km from Rome
, and about 30 km south of Viterbo. It is picturesquely situated on a narrow tuff
hill, surrounded by ravines, a narrow neck on the west alone connecting it with the surrounding country.
The modern comune
of Sutri has a few more than 5,000 inhabitants. It ancient remains are a major draw for tourism: a Roman amphitheatre excavated in the tuff rock, an Etruscan necropolis with dozens of rock-cut tombs, a Mithraeum
incorporated in the crypt of its church of the Madonna del Parto, a Romanesque Duomo.
, the later Via Cassia
: Livy
describes it as one of the keys of Etruria, Nepi
being the other. It came into the hands of Rome after the fall of Veii
, and a Latin colony was founded there; it was lost again in 386 BC
, but was recovered and recolonized around 383
. It was besieged by the Etruscans
in 311‑310 BC, but not taken. With Nepi
and ten other Latin colonies it refused further help in the Second Punic War
in 209 BC
. Its importance as a fortress explains, according to Festus
, the proverb Sutrium ire, of one who goes on important business, as it occurs in Plautus
. It is mentioned in. the war of 41 BC
, and received a colony of veterans under the triumviri (Colonia coniuncta lulia Sutrina). Inscriptions show that it was a place of some importance under the empire, and it is mentioned as occupied by the Lombards
.
Sutri retained its strategic importance as a fortified place near the borders of the Duchy of Rome
. The Donation of Sutri
was an agreement reached at Sutri between the Lombard king Liutprand the Lombard and Pope Gregory II
in 728. At Sutri the two reached an agreement, by which Sutri and some hill towns in Latium
(see Vetralla
) were given to the Papacy, "as a gift to the blessed Apostles Peter
and Paul
" according to the Liber Pontificalis
. The pact formed the first extension of Papal territory beyond the confines of the Duchy of Rome
.
Sutri, the seat of a bishopric, was retrieved for the Papacy after the defeat of the Lombards.
Pope Gregory VI
abdicated at Sutri on December 20, 1046, following the Synod of Sutri convened at the request of Emperor Henry III
. In 1111 it was the seat of the treaty between Paschal II
and Emperor Henry V
; in 1146 and 1244 Eugene III
and Innocent IV
took refuge here, respectively. In 1244 it was conquered by Pietro di Vico, but was later took by Pandolfo, count of Anguillara, who gave it back to the Papal States.
The city saw the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines
. In 1433 the condottiero Niccolò Fortebraccio
set fire to the city, which, from that point onward declined in favour of Ronciglione
.
The cathedral
, of Romanesque origin, is largely modern: of the medieval edifice the belltower (1207) and the crypt
, from the Lombard period, with seven naves divided by twenty columns of different origin.
In the cliffs opposite the town on the south is the rock-cut church of the Madonna del Parto, developed out of one of the numerous Etruscan tombs of the area (according to some scholars, it was a mithraeum
).
The most striking edifice is the rock-hewn amphitheatre
of the Roman period
, one of the most suggestive monuments of the ancient Lazio. Of elliptical plan, it measures c. 49 x 40 meters.
from Rome or Viterbo. The nearest railway station, on the line for Rome, is that of Capranica.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Viterbo
Province of Viterbo
The Province of Viterbo is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Viterbo. It is bordered to the north by the Province of Grosseto and Siena, by the north-east with the Province of Terni and Rieti, in the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and south by the Province of Rome.It...
, about 50 km from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and about 30 km south of Viterbo. It is picturesquely situated on a narrow tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
hill, surrounded by ravines, a narrow neck on the west alone connecting it with the surrounding country.
The modern comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Sutri has a few more than 5,000 inhabitants. It ancient remains are a major draw for tourism: a Roman amphitheatre excavated in the tuff rock, an Etruscan necropolis with dozens of rock-cut tombs, a Mithraeum
Mithraeum
A Mithraeum is a place of worship for the followers of the mystery religion of Mithraism.The Mithraeum was either an adapted natural cave or cavern or an artificial building imitating a cavern. Mithraea were dark and windowless, even if they were not actually in a subterranean space or in a natural...
incorporated in the crypt of its church of the Madonna del Parto, a Romanesque Duomo.
History
Sutri (Latin Sutrium) occupied an important position, commanding as it did the road into EtruriaEtruria
Etruria—usually referred to in Greek and Latin source texts as Tyrrhenia—was a region of Central Italy, an area that covered part of what now are Tuscany, Latium, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria. A particularly noteworthy work dealing with Etruscan locations is D. H...
, the later Via Cassia
Via Cassia
The Via Cassia was an important Roman road striking out of the Via Flaminia near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii traversed Etruria...
: Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
describes it as one of the keys of Etruria, Nepi
Nepi
Nepi is a town and comune in Italy in the province of Viterbo, region of Lazio. The town lies 30 km southeast of the city of Viterbo and about 13 km southwest from Civita Castellana....
being the other. It came into the hands of Rome after the fall of Veii
Veii
Veii was, in ancient times, an important Etrurian city NNW of Rome, Italy; its site lies in Isola Farnese, a village of Municipio XX, an administrative subdivision of the comune of Rome in the Province of Rome...
, and a Latin colony was founded there; it was lost again in 386 BC
386 BC
Year 386 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Camillus, Cornelius, Fidenas, Cincinnatus, Pulvillus and Poplicola...
, but was recovered and recolonized around 383
383 BC
Year 383 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Poplicola, Capitolinus, Rufus, Flavus, Mamercinus and Trebonius...
. It was besieged by the Etruscans
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
in 311‑310 BC, but not taken. With Nepi
Nepi
Nepi is a town and comune in Italy in the province of Viterbo, region of Lazio. The town lies 30 km southeast of the city of Viterbo and about 13 km southwest from Civita Castellana....
and ten other Latin colonies it refused further help in the Second Punic War
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
in 209 BC
209 BC
Year 209 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Verrucosus and Flaccus...
. Its importance as a fortress explains, according to Festus
Festus
Festus is a Latin word meaning "festive, festal, joyful, merry" and may refer to:* Festus, Missouri, a town in the United States*Festus, a poem by the English poet Philip James Bailey*Drew Hankinson, professional wrestler...
, the proverb Sutrium ire, of one who goes on important business, as it occurs in Plautus
Plautus
Titus Maccius Plautus , commonly known as "Plautus", was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest surviving intact works in Latin literature. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the genre devised by the innovator of Latin literature, Livius Andronicus...
. It is mentioned in. the war of 41 BC
41 BC
Year 41 BC was either a common year starting on Wednesday or Thursday or a leap year starting on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of the Julian calendar and a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, and received a colony of veterans under the triumviri (Colonia coniuncta lulia Sutrina). Inscriptions show that it was a place of some importance under the empire, and it is mentioned as occupied by the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
.
Sutri retained its strategic importance as a fortified place near the borders of the Duchy of Rome
Duchy of Rome
The Duchy of Rome was a Byzantine district in the Exarchate of Ravenna. Like other Byzantine states in Italy, it was ruled by an imperial functionary with the title dux...
. The Donation of Sutri
Donation of Sutri
The Donation of Sutri was an agreement reached at Sutri by Liutprand, King of the Lombards and Pope Gregory II in 728. At Sutri, the two reached an agreement by which the city and some hill towns in Latium were given to the Papacy, "as a gift to the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul" according to...
was an agreement reached at Sutri between the Lombard king Liutprand the Lombard and Pope Gregory II
Pope Gregory II
Pope Saint Gregory II was pope from May 19, 715 to his death on February 11, 731, succeeding Pope Constantine. Having, it is said, bought off the Lombards for thirty pounds of gold, Charles Martel having refused his call for aid, he used the tranquillity thus obtained for vigorous missionary...
in 728. At Sutri the two reached an agreement, by which Sutri and some hill towns in Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
(see Vetralla
Vetralla
Vetralla is a town and comune in the Province of Viterbo, in central Italy, 11 km to the south of that city, located on a shoulder of Monte Fogliano.-History:...
) were given to the Papacy, "as a gift to the blessed Apostles Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
" according to the Liber Pontificalis
Liber Pontificalis
The Liber Pontificalis is a book of biographies of popes from Saint Peter until the 15th century. The original publication of the Liber Pontificalis stopped with Pope Adrian II or Pope Stephen V , but it was later supplemented in a different style until Pope Eugene IV and then Pope Pius II...
. The pact formed the first extension of Papal territory beyond the confines of the Duchy of Rome
Duchy of Rome
The Duchy of Rome was a Byzantine district in the Exarchate of Ravenna. Like other Byzantine states in Italy, it was ruled by an imperial functionary with the title dux...
.
Sutri, the seat of a bishopric, was retrieved for the Papacy after the defeat of the Lombards.
Pope Gregory VI
Pope Gregory VI
Pope Gregory VI , born John Gratian , was Pope from 1 May 1045 until his abdication at the Council of Sutri on 20 December 1046....
abdicated at Sutri on December 20, 1046, following the Synod of Sutri convened at the request of Emperor Henry III
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
. In 1111 it was the seat of the treaty between Paschal II
Pope Paschal II
Pope Paschal II , born Ranierius, was Pope from August 13, 1099, until his death. A monk of the Cluniac order, he was created cardinal priest of the Titulus S...
and Emperor Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
; in 1146 and 1244 Eugene III
Pope Eugene III
Pope Blessed Eugene III , born Bernardo da Pisa, was Pope from 1145 to 1153. He was the first Cistercian to become Pope.-Early life:...
and Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
took refuge here, respectively. In 1244 it was conquered by Pietro di Vico, but was later took by Pandolfo, count of Anguillara, who gave it back to the Papal States.
The city saw the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
. In 1433 the condottiero Niccolò Fortebraccio
Niccolò Fortebraccio
Niccolò Fortebraccio , also known as Niccolò della Stella, was an Italian condottiero.Born in Sant'Angelo in Vado, he was the son of Stella, sister of Braccio da Montone. His half-brother Oddo and his cousin Carlo were also condottieri....
set fire to the city, which, from that point onward declined in favour of Ronciglione
Ronciglione
Ronciglione is a city and comune in the province of Viterbo, Lazio , c. 20 km from Viterbo. The city is located in the Cimini mountains, over two tuff scarps, on the SE slope of the former volcano crater now housing the Vico's Lake....
.
Main sights
There are some remains of the ancient city walls of rectangular blocks of tuff on the southern side of the town, and some rock-cut sewers in the cliffs below them.The cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, of Romanesque origin, is largely modern: of the medieval edifice the belltower (1207) and the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, from the Lombard period, with seven naves divided by twenty columns of different origin.
In the cliffs opposite the town on the south is the rock-cut church of the Madonna del Parto, developed out of one of the numerous Etruscan tombs of the area (according to some scholars, it was a mithraeum
Mithraeum
A Mithraeum is a place of worship for the followers of the mystery religion of Mithraism.The Mithraeum was either an adapted natural cave or cavern or an artificial building imitating a cavern. Mithraea were dark and windowless, even if they were not actually in a subterranean space or in a natural...
).
The most striking edifice is the rock-hewn amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
of the Roman period
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, one of the most suggestive monuments of the ancient Lazio. Of elliptical plan, it measures c. 49 x 40 meters.
Transportation
Sutri can be reached through the Via CassiaVia Cassia
The Via Cassia was an important Roman road striking out of the Via Flaminia near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii traversed Etruria...
from Rome or Viterbo. The nearest railway station, on the line for Rome, is that of Capranica.