Umbria: Tuscany’s Neighbor

Boundless beauty, rolling hills, and panoramic landscapes, oh my! Italy’s “green country” is dominated by the heaping Apennine Mountains, literally landlocked with Tuscany to its West, Le Marche to the east, Lazio to the south, and Emilia-Romagna to the north. This historic Italian region, known as Umbria, dates back to the Bronze and Iron Ages (that’s nearly 5,300 years ago!) according to recent archaeological evidence but more traditional history of this centrally located Italian region begins at the start of the 6th century BC, when the Umbri tribe (after whom the region is named) settled here.

Like most Italian regions, accurate accounts of their origins are lost in foggy legend. What we do know by way of chance discoveries through excavations, historical research and close analysis of the very soil that rests here is that before joining forces with the Etruscans, known for their artistic imports in the form of statues, paintings, and bronze mirrors among other things, the Umbri were driven out of their native land by the Etruscans. The Latin alphabet used in English is embedded in the Etruscan writing system, proving that the Etruscans not only grossly affected renaissance art and culture, but the phonetics and linguistic evolution of the Italian language, most often referred to in its purest form as Tuscan.

Later united against the Roman Empire in 295 BC, the Umbri and Etruscans failed to succeed in defending their territories and by the 4th century BC, Umbria was under the governmental authority of the Papal State. Christianity thrived as a controlling force in the region of Umbria until the 18th century upon Napoleon’s defeat that subsequently led to Umbria’s assimilation into the “Kingdom of Italy” in 1860. This monarchical kingdom lasted from 1860 until 1946 when Italy opted for the republican constitution under which they are still presently ruled.

Today, the rich history and grandiose handsomeness of the Umbria region is very much alive. Though some areas were devastated due to World War II bombings, reconstructive urban planning restored the essence of Umbria so modern tourists and its inhabitants can still experience this majestic region in both its antiquity and modernity, which coexist harmoniously. Its capital, Perugia, stands proudly on a hill overlooking the Tiber River, reinforcing its powerful dominion over a pre-historic, green country that isn’t so “green,” after all.