RADAGAISUS: WHO WAS HE? He was the leader of the , who entered Italy in the early fifth century. Eager to reach , the Ostrogoths had crossed the Apennines, immediately finding their way to the Roman town of Pistoia. After having conquered and sacked the town in 406, they again took up the road south, but around , were counterat- tacked by the Roman army led by (a general of barbarian descent). The Ostrogoths were defeated and Radagaisus killed, but it was too late for Pistoia. The signs of ruin left behind (the Roman villa burned, the internal road structure disrupted) are still archeo- logically visible. It can thus be said that, for Pistoia, the Middle Ages (whose beginning is recognized as 476 when the last Western Ro- man emperor was deposed) can be antedated by several decades. In the crypts of San Mercuriale (a former nunnery, now seat of the court offices) the remains of a wall hastily built to resist an attack have been found. In its structure, there are also some drum columns attributable to an ancient temple, the remains of the Roman civiliza- tion, which was being overtaken by a new one.

ITINERARIES OF ART AND HISTORY THE CITY OF PISTOIA AGENZIA PER IL TURISMO TEXT ABETONE PISTOIA Lorenzo Cipriani MONTAGNA P.SE PHOTOS APT - Italia Turistica Marco INFO POINT Melodia - Katrin Fox Abetone + 39 0573 60231 TRANSLATION Cutigliano + 39 0573 68029 Studio Blitz - Pistoia Intervento realizzato all’interno delle azioni previste dal progetto interregio- nale (L.135/2001 art. 5) “Valorizzazione comprensorio sciistico tosco emi- PROVINCIA Pistoia + 39 0573 21622 GRAPHIC DESIGN liano” cofinanziato da Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri - Dipartimento DI PISTOIA [email protected] Studio Phaedra www.pistoia.turismo.toscana.it per lo sviluppo e la competitività del turismo - e dalla Regione Toscana VISIT THE WEBSITE ITINERARIES OF ART AND HISTORY munication (1138). Later, however, Pistoia’s prosperous medieval period THE CITY an agreement was mediated that, was relatively brief: By the beginning on one hand, observed respect for of the XIV century, the joint pressure OF PISTOIA the Church and, on the other, made of the stronger nearby communes it clear that civic self-government of and Lucca was already was now well-established. Indeed, being felt. Within a few decades, our having brought a holy relic of one of city fell into the “hands”, as was said the most venerated saints, James the at that time, of Florence, which was Greater, to whose Spanish sepulcher constructing its regional state. Some Pistoia was founded at the foot of print was given to the city’s customs, crowds of pilgrims flocked, made important visual reminders remain, the Apennines in the 2nd century characteristics, traditions and laws. our city a pious stopover destination set in place as a sign of the dominion B.C. by Roman legions that were The center of the city’s power was for the many travelers who passed state, like the image of the Florentine conducting a war against the Ligu- no longer on Piazza del Duomo, but along the nearby Via Francigena, an lion (the Marzocco) found in some rians. The early camp – later a forti- on La Sala, the Lombard name indi- important medieval road axis. Pistoia public places. The modern history fied citadel – was built on -the flu cating the seat of authority. was filled with hospices, inns, eater- of the Pistoia area from that time rary history began after the end of temporary history continued into vial terrace created by the torrential It is undeniable that the Christian ca- ies, moneychangers and banks, ac- on always took place in the shadow the Medici dynasty, and especially the 1900s, a century of profound deposits where Piazza del Duomo thedral existed before the year 1000, quiring fame and wealth. of the Dominante. Its contempo- with the advent to the grand ducal changes and tragic events that also is today. The city grew and was ad- in whose parvise the market took throne of Peter Leopold of Lorraine touched Pistoia. ministratively placed in the VII regio, place. The bishop was a powerful (1765). The face of the ancient city but the orderly Roman town plan lord, and traces of the feudal castle changed profoundly in this period was disrupted when, in 406, Pistoia are still visible in the old Bishop’s Pal- due to the reforms imposed by the was captured and partly destroyed ace. The very early establishment of a Jansenist bishop Scipione de’ Ricci by the Gothic leader Radagaisus. For free commune created conflict with as well as the construction by the almost the next two centuries there the bishop as a revolutionary institu- nobility of palaces in the center is no official record of the city’s exist- tion superimposed itself on the sa- During the Risorgimento, Pistoia ence, which had also been a Roman cred ones of the empire and the pa- underwent six hard years of Aus- municipium. In the late VI century pacy. When the bishop was strong trian occupation (1849-55). With was the conquest by the , and intelligent, like the Vallombro- the 1860 plebiscite, it became part, who were then followed by the san Atto, the conflict was very sharp, together with all of Tuscany, of the . Thus a lasting Germanic im- even arriving to the point of excom- unified Kingdom of Italy. Its- con