SARTEANO in the past

Sarteano rises around a castle, and it appears one of the most untouched and sincere town of the zone : its origin is not less ancient then Chiusi’s, infact somebody thinks that the real Charmars is here. Maybe its name comes from the aristocratic "Sertorius" from the Etrusco.-Roman epoch since, right over here, was found Lucio Sertorio’s urn, probably a veteran between Mario and Sill’s wars.

Sarteano’s or Cetona mountain (the "Mons Aspesulanus or Piesi Mount) has the signs of all the ages : there are caverns of prehistoric men which from Belverde extends along the cost facing Chiana Valley, and recent excavations in "La Villa" brought to light Neolithic arms, lightly flints carved and raw. All around Sferracavalli, Albinaia, Solaia. Molin Canale, there are Italic tombs which sign the end of the bronze age and the beginning of the Iron age (maybe contemporary of terramare of Emilia and of lake dwelling of northern Italy), some stone and copper manufactures found in the same places show the Neolithic age. On these hills, Pian Porcelli included, can be found also well tombs (the oldest one is Sferracavalli’s) with funeral equipment which belongs to Villanoviana civilisation, while on solais hills there are room tombs of the Ionic -Attic age ; the most important necropolis of this period , now destroyed, is in the wonderful area of "Bel Riguardo".

Etruscan civilisation is expressed in "Le Tombe" locality with room tombs, urns, golden jewels (most part of these objects are exposed in Archeologic Museum of Siena , that first belonged to Bargagli di Sarteano Museum). Sepulchre of tombs with Marco Terennio’s bowl and the rests of thermal buildings in Saint Angelo belong to Roman age.

The oldest document which talks about Sarteano is of 1308 ; in 1178 a diploma of Emperor Federico I confirms Conti Manenti about Sarteano’s possession. The alternate events of Conti Manenti and of Sarteano, whose fortress was often contended by Siena and Orvieto, are fully documented and are not so different from history of all the Tuscany castles of Middle Age.

Sarteano sides almost always with Siena, ever in wars against Montepulciano and even where Pope Urbano IV , in 1263, annexed Sarteano to Orvieto, in 1265 comes back under Siena with an always renewed alliance during centuries. Its status are of 1265.

When S. Francisco came into Sarteano, in 1212, people were devoted to wool parchment and leather manufacturing ; and wool, home spuns industry, had to progress, so that in 1470 Siena allowed Sarteano to "export" its famous "woollen cloth".

In 1280 Sarteano castle was sold to the podestà of this free town and in the same year the present fortress is recognised and widened and restored afterwards by Monaldeschi of Orvieto (in 1345) and by seines in 1469. The previous fortress was very similar to the present one : surrounded by double walls, dominated by a square donjon side round towers keep. Under the fortress there is a system of practicable staples of Etruscan age.

Sarteano’s destiny continues to be ruled by Siena, Orvieto and Perugia. In 1503 the town undergoes grave damages inflicted by Douche Valentino who wanted to force Siena to expel Pandolfo Petrucci.

In 1555 Siena laid siege by imperial and ducal arms, fell.

In 1556 Sarteano’s castle was taken by Cosimo Dei Medici.

In 1590 Gran Duke Ferdinando I invested the Captain Eustachio Fanelli and the Gran Duke Cosimo II with the castle, he gives it definitely to his followers who still possess it.

Nowadays Sarteano is a peaceful holiday place, and remains one of the most attractive towns of southern Tuscany, raw because of its mountains, humble and aristocratic, mysterious and inexhaustible for each sounding of past times.

(The passage is part of the Chianciano Terme guide and outskirts authoresses Prof.. S. Orienti - G. Vagaggini Poppi)