Treia
Encyclopedia
Treia is a town and comune
in the province of Macerata
in the central Marche
(Italy
). It is 7 km (4.3 mi) N of Pollenza
, 12 km (7.5 mi) W of Macerata
, and 18 km (11.2 mi) NNE of Tolentino
.
people in 380 BCE; it is certain that at in the plain below the modern town and about 2 km (1.2 mi) to the west of it, at SS. Crocifisso, there was a small Roman town by that name, which is recorded as a municipium
in 109 BCE. Large Egyptian religious statues of the Roman period have been found and are kept in the town's museum: they are unique in the Marche.
The Roman town appears to have been abandoned at the fall of the Western Empire, and only in the 10th century was a new town founded on the top of the hill, named Montecchio. The town sided with the Pope in the temporal struggles of central Italy, and was besieged several times, and in particular in 1239 by Enzio
, son and vicar of Frederick II
and again in 1263 by Conrad of Antioch, who was captured at the nearby battle of Vallesacco, and held for several months in town in a small prison (now in use as a caffé).
Montecchio eventually became part of the Papal States
, and in 1790 Pope Pius VI
rewarded it for its faithfulness by raising it to the official rank of "city", at the same time renaming it by its Roman name of Treia.
Treia's most famous native was the archaeologist and art critic Luigi Lanzi
.
(Text originally based on Bill Thayer's webpage, by permission.)
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 Macerata
Province of Macerata
The Province of Macerata is a province in the Marche region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Macerata.It has an area of 2,774 km², and a total population of 301,701 . There are 57 comunes in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Macerata.-External links:*...
in the central Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
). It is 7 km (4.3 mi) N of Pollenza
Pollenza
Pollenza is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about 40 km southwest of Ancona and about 9 km southwest of Macerata. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,086 and an area of 39.5 km².Pollenza borders the following municipalities:...
, 12 km (7.5 mi) W of Macerata
Macerata
Macerata is a city and comune in central Italy, the capital of the province of Macerata in the Marche region.The historical city center is located on a hill between the Chienti and Potenza rivers. It consisted of the Picenes city named Ricina, then, after the romanization, Recina and Helvia Recina...
, and 18 km (11.2 mi) NNE of Tolentino
Tolentino
Tolentino is a town and comune of about 20,000 inhabitants, in the province of Macerata in the Marche region of central Italy.It is located in the middle of the valley of the Chienti.-History:...
.
History
Treia is said to have been founded by the SabineSabine
The Sabines were an Italic tribe that lived in the central Appennines of ancient Italy, also inhabiting Latium north of the Anio before the founding of Rome...
people in 380 BCE; it is certain that at in the plain below the modern town and about 2 km (1.2 mi) to the west of it, at SS. Crocifisso, there was a small Roman town by that name, which is recorded as a municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
in 109 BCE. Large Egyptian religious statues of the Roman period have been found and are kept in the town's museum: they are unique in the Marche.
The Roman town appears to have been abandoned at the fall of the Western Empire, and only in the 10th century was a new town founded on the top of the hill, named Montecchio. The town sided with the Pope in the temporal struggles of central Italy, and was besieged several times, and in particular in 1239 by Enzio
Enzio
Enzio may refer to* Enzio of Sardinia, illegitimate son of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor.* Enzio, legitimate son of Manfred of Sicily by his wife Helena; he was confined to prison his entire life....
, son and vicar of Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
and again in 1263 by Conrad of Antioch, who was captured at the nearby battle of Vallesacco, and held for several months in town in a small prison (now in use as a caffé).
Montecchio eventually became part of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
, and in 1790 Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI , born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, was Pope from 1775 to 1799.-Early years:Braschi was born in Cesena...
rewarded it for its faithfulness by raising it to the official rank of "city", at the same time renaming it by its Roman name of Treia.
Treia's most famous native was the archaeologist and art critic Luigi Lanzi
Luigi Lanzi
Luigi Lanzi was an Italian art historian and archaeologist.Born in Treia, Lanzi was educated as a priest. He entered the Order of the Jesuits, resided at Rome and in 1773 was appointed keeper of the galleries of Florence, where he became president of the Accademia della Crusca...
.
Main sights
- the medieval brick DuomoDuomoDuomo is a term for a cathedral church. The formal word for a church that is presently a cathedral is cattedrale; a Duomo may be either a present or a former cathedral . Some, like the Duomo of Monza, have never been cathedrals, although old and important...
(cathedral) - the 17th‑century Town Hall (Palazzo Municipale) includes a collection of Renaissance and classical paintings that may be visited on request
- Santuario del SS. Crocefisso, a large early 20th‑century church complex
- A museum of the town's history, inaugurated in 2004.
External links
(Text originally based on Bill Thayer's webpage, by permission.)