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OFFIDA
Offida has
ancient origins. The first settlement is of preistorical age
but were the Pelasgians, arrived here at
the end of Bronze age (XIII sec. a.C.), to bring here the
civiliszation being building a temple dedicated to the “Ophite
snake”. Of this period it has been discovered a cemetery
(necropoli) in the territory. On the territory followed then
the Picens and the Romans were (290 a.C.).
The ancient history however becomes sure beginning from the
date of 578 a.D., year of the conquest of
Ascoli by Longobards. Offida became seat
of a gastaldato (royal demesne or gastaldia)
of the county of Ascoli and was begun the construction of
a fortified castle.
In 920 Offida appears in a document of Benedictines
monks of the Abbey of Farfa who, in order to escape to the
invasion of the Saracens of 898, took refuge in these lands.
In the X, XI and XII century Offida grew
around the Benedictine monastery which received from Emperors
and Popes the power and the property on the territory. As
a result of the increase of the village the city became free
Comune and stopping the administration of the monks.
The city in this period was fortified with high walls and
lived the fight between Guelfi and Ghibellines.
Subsequently the fight for the power saw as protagonists two
families: the Boldrini (Ghibelline) and the
Baroncelli (Guelfi). The fight culminated
in the attempt of signing a peace treaty in 1533, attempt
that ended with the slaughter of Boldrini family by Carlo
Baroncelli.
In 1557 a singular episode: the French
troops came to help the Pope stopped in Offida receiving
a good welcome by the population. However the French returned
annoying the women and giving fire to the Communal Palace.
The inhabitants, after having closed the doors of the village,
exterminated the French launching them from the high walls.
To remember the event it was written in the Church of Maria
of the Rocca: "1557, addì 17 Maggio morì
accoppati 70 dei francesi" (1557, today may 17th died
slaughtered 70 French people”.
Offida then made part of the Papal State
until its unification the Reign of Italy.
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