Blera
Encyclopedia
Blera is a small town and comune
in the northern Lazio region of Italy
near Rome
, known during the Middle Ages
as Bieda, an evolved form of its ancient name, which was restored in the 20th century. It is the birthplace of Pope Sabinian
; Pope Paschal II
was also originally thought to be from here.
It is situated on a long, narrow tongue of rock at the junction of two deep glens.
town on the Via Clodia
. It was of little importance, and is known to be mentioned only by geographers and in inscriptions.
In 772, it was destroyed by the Lombards
of King Desiderius
. In the 13th-15th centuries, it belonged to the Di Vico family. In 1247 the army of Frederick II
ravaged it. In the 15th century, Pope Boniface IX gave Blera to the Anguillara family, who owned it until 1572, apart from a short period from 1465 under direct Papal control. Later it followed the history of the Papal States
.
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 northern Lazio region of 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...
near 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...
, known during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
as Bieda, an evolved form of its ancient name, which was restored in the 20th century. It is the birthplace of Pope Sabinian
Pope Sabinian
Pope Sabinian was pope from 604 to 606. He was born at Blera near Viterbo. Pope during the Byzantine Papacy, he was fourth former apocrisiarius to Constantinople elected pope.-Apokrisiariat :...
; Pope 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...
was also originally thought to be from here.
It is situated on a long, narrow tongue of rock at the junction of two deep glens.
History
In ancient times, Blera was an EtruscanEtruscan 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...
town on the Via Clodia
Via Clodia
Via Clodia was an ancient high-road of Italy. Its course, for the first 11 miles, was the same as that of the Via Cassia; it then diverged to the north in a northwest direction and ran on the west side of the Lacus Sabatinus, past Forum Clodii and Blera...
. It was of little importance, and is known to be mentioned only by geographers and in inscriptions.
In 772, it was destroyed 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...
of King Desiderius
Desiderius
Desiderius was the last king of the Lombard Kingdom of northern Italy...
. In the 13th-15th centuries, it belonged to the Di Vico family. In 1247 the army 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...
ravaged it. In the 15th century, Pope Boniface IX gave Blera to the Anguillara family, who owned it until 1572, apart from a short period from 1465 under direct Papal control. Later it followed the history 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...
.
Main sights
Some remains of the town walls still exist, and also two ancient bridges, both belonging to the Via Clodia, and many tombs hewn in the rock with small chambers imitating the architectural forms of houses, and beams and rafters represented in relief.External links
- Official website
- George Dennis on Blera (Chapter 17 of Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria)