Historical Outline of Fano

 

Augustus's Arch and Caesar's statue

 

The first settlers in Fano date back to the neolithic period, when its centre developed its first populated nucleus. Probably Fano took its name (Fanum Fortunae) from a temple devoted to the Godness "Fortune".The remainings of the ancient Roman town allow us to define the real distance between the old town and the outlet of the river Metauro, which runs across the so called Metauro valley. During the Iron Age Fano became a part of the Picena civilization which developed from the IX century B.C. to the III century B.C.. The Piceni lived along the Adriatic coast, between the river Foglia and the Sabini’s area , protected by the Appennini mountains. This geographic position was very favourable and, for this reason too, the Piceni’s civilization developed remarkably. It’s organization was based on tribes, the origin of their names derived from the "wood-pecker", a sacred bird that apparently guided the Piceni to this area. The Piceni built a necropolis around Fano and many tombs. A quite important tomb was discovered on the slopes of Monte Giove (V cent. B.C.).There the archaeologists found many pieces of pottery. Such discoveries show the importance of the Metauro valley for the sea trade, that determined the growth of the town in later centuries. The oldest book about Fano dates back to 49. B.C. and was written by Julius Caesar. The Romans occupied our area when they won a battle against the Galli. The Roman Emperor Augustus established the colony of Julia Fanenstris in Fano area. He had the town surrounded by walls, and built the monumental Arch of Augustus. The Romans bought a very important road to Rome, the Flaminia Road, which allowed a direct connection between Rome and the Adriatic Sea. Another Roman Emperor, Vespasiano, should be remembered becaus of the tunnel that was opend in 76 A.D.. between the mountains near Fano, at Furlo (Furlo = forulum = little hole).In 540 Fano was burnt down by the Goths and later rebuilt by the Byzantines, between 541 and 565.Because of its position on the sea, Fano became then the centre of the so called Pentapolis (= 5 towns, with Rimini, Pesaro, Senigallia, Ancona). Under the Emperor Carlo Magno Fano became a territory of the Church. When in 1174 Frederick Barbarossa undertook two expeditions against Ancona, Fano formed an alliance against him and was saved. Later on internal strugglesdivided the town into two parties, like in Florence, and many people had to go inexile.

During the Renessaince the town was dominated by a family, the Malatesta, for 107 years. Particularly under Sigismondo and Pandolfo Malatesta Fano increased in political importance and expanded itself.In 1501 Alexander Borgia appointed his son Caesar as perpetual vicar of the town, which became the capital of the Dukedom of Romagna. After the decline of the Bargias, Fano was again under the domination of Rome. In 1797 it was annexed to the Roman Republic, then became a frontier town of the Cisalpina Republic and was attacked and ravaged by people from Austria, Russia, Turkey and France. In 1860 it was annexed by the Italian Kingdom. Till the second world war the development of the town was slow. Then the town expanded and developed also from an industrial point of view, due to the very fertile Metauro Valley, but mainly to the presence of the Adriatic Sea, which allowed the rise of an important fish industry, of shipbuilding factories, both at the port and in the inland, and of tourist activities, hotels, restaurants, leisure centres, travel agencies and so on. The presence of the sea cannever be too strongly enphasized as a vital element in the history of the town. Thanks to it Fano has reached a good economic development, and even the character of its population has been influenced by it: many popular traditions, expressions in the everyday language and attitudes, derive from its maritime position, its port, its fishermen, that are a fundamental element of the town also today.