Le Marche, thanks to the lovely position of the Adritic sea, has become a place of wide cultural diversity and renowned for a healthy way of life. The region is steeped in History, evident in the rich art and architecture of the walled cities. You can taste it in the traditional cuisine and excellent wines, and you can live it through ancient festivals are still celebrated.
People have lived off this fertile land since 6000BC, thousands of years before the time of the Etruscans, in the 7th C BC, when the Piceni people populated the area. The first recorded settlements are in Fermo and Camerino. Through the coastal towns, like Ancona, they had links with the Ancient Greeks, and later, and less welcome, the Gauls. Nearly two and a half millennia later, Gallic influence is still apparent in the dialects spoken in the north.
Some Points in the history of Le Marche
VII- VI sec. BC. The civilisations of Picena in Foglia at Pescara
IV sec BC - Sees the growth of Dori Ankon (Ancona) which literally means elbow after the shape of its natural port. One of the few cities in the world where the
sun rises and sets on the sea.
207 a C. Battle of Metauro- The Romans they defeat the Cartaginesi and killing of Asdrubale, brother of Annibal.
568 d.C Invasion of the Longobardii
969 constitution of Marca Camerinese, Marca Anconetana and Marca Firmana
1000 Birth of the first community
1167 Invasion and capture of Ancona by Federico Barbarossa
from 1200Age of the communities and advent of the Lords. Start of many of the lines and dynasties of important Marchigani families: Malatesta agli Sforza, Rovere, Montefeltro and Da Varano.
1354 the cardinal Egidio Albornoz reinstates the reign of the pope
1516 Urbino becomes an important part of the church
1631 Le Marche passes under the papal State
1797 Napoleon imposes the pope Trattato di Tolentino - Ancona liberated and made a Republic
1807 le Marche enters into reign of Italy
from 1817 al 1849 insurrectionary motions
1860 Battaglia di Castelfidardo. Victory by the armies. Le Marche enters fully into united Italy.
Ancona was the gateway to Italy through which Christianity entered, paving the way for the battles between Popes and Holy Roman Emperors for control of the region that were to come during the time of the Renaissance. This time saw huge fluctuations in power between ruling families, the Borgias among them. While cities like Urbino and Jesi were passed around like pawns, the smaller towns gained in strength and stature - it is no mystery why Le Marche is known for its 100 walled cities.
The beginning of the Millenium sees the rising of numerous towns surrounding the many ancient churches. In particular the communities of the era with prominent stature are Ancona, Pesaro, Macerata, Fano, Jesi, Fermo e Ascoli Piceno.
In thirteenth century the orders of the monasteries were prominent, while in the 1400\'s the Lordships are born, between which Montefeltro are diffused in the Marches and of Of the Rovere in the Ducato of Urbino and of From They launch to Camerino. In the 1600\'s unification of the Papal State realised, while the 1700\'s sees growth of the urban cities as economic centers.
The time of Napoleon signaled the start of the area as it can be seen today; The 1800\'s is identified with the Renaissance (battaglia di Castelfidardo) and the unification of Italy.
Thanks to the radical ideas that made resistance particularly intense, Le Marche is able to demonstrate many of the original ways of the new Republic
Important People born in the region
Federico II di Svevia, Cecco d\'Ascoli, Giacomo Leopardi, Raffaello Sanzio, Federico da Montefeltro, Donato Bramante, Gioachino Rossini, Gaspare Spontini, Maria Montessori, Matteo Ricci, Papa Sisto V, Papa Pio IX, San Nicola da Tolentino, S. Maria Goretti, Osvaldo Licini, Corrado Cagli, Orfeo Tamburi, Pericle Fazzini, Gino Bonichi (Scipione ) Valeria Moriconi, Massimo Girotti.
