Bagnoregio
The town of Bagnoregio (All.A) is characterised by Etruscan-Roman origin, clearly observable in the numerous Etruscan tombs visible along the tuff’s walls of the hill where the town was built, the plenty of Roman inscriptions and sculptures, and the organization of the streets following the Roman urban plant based on the Cardus/Decumanus axes [2, pp. 44-53][3].
The name of the town in the Etruscan and Roman periods is not known. BALNEO REGIS (Migne Edition) or BALNEUM REGIS (Vatican Edition) appeared as names for the town, in a letter dated to 600 AD written by the Pope Gregorius Magnus to Ecclesius, Bishop of Chiusi (Siena district) [4-6]. Just few years later (in 604 AD) the village was called BALNEUS REGIS by Paulus Diaconus in his Historia Longobardorum.
The letter of Pope Gregorius Magnus is very interesting because is related to the selection of the Bishop for Bagnoregio, according to the suggestion of Aufridus (Aufret), Magister Militum of the Castrum BALNEO REGIS.
All.A Bagnoregio
All.B
The letter proves that Bagnoregio town was a Castrum, at the beginning of 7th century, characterised by a complex social and religious organization. A German Authority (probably Gothic one) ran the town, before the Longobard conquest in 604 AD [7].
The existence of Aufridus (or Aufret) was definitely proved in 1726, when, on the occasion of the restoration works in the ancient Church of S. Peter and Paulus in Bagnoregio (All. C), a golden ring seal, with the face and the name of Aufret, was found [8].
At present, the precious jewel can be admired in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (C).
The town of Bagnoregio, after the domination of Goths, Longobards, Franks and the Earls, became independent Municipality. This historical transformation was firstly documented in a parchment dated back to 1161 AD, and at present stored in the Archives of the Community Hall of Bagnoregio [9].
The Civita of Bagnoregio was characterised, starting from its erection, by continuous erosion phenomena affecting the clay tuff’s ridge on which the small town was built.
The erosion was and is still now operated by two streams called Rio Chiaro and Rio Torbido.
Moreover, the town was also interested by numerous earthquakes that during the centuries caused several destructions.
One of the most serious earthquake occurred in 1695 AD.
For these reasons, ever since the beginning of the municipality period, population of the Civita of Bagnoregio tried to apply measures for limiting the erosion phenomenon. In fact, in the municipality statute of 1373, several rules were established in order to preserve the territory, the bridges, the roads, the ridges, the streams and water drainages, the houses, and the public and religious buildings [9].
All.C Civita
All.D Sigillo Aufret
Moreover, in the 1373 statute, the Society Corporazione dei capomastri muratori (Guild of master builders) was included. This society was created by construction workers and stonemasons, which were a sort of brothers (confrati) that could help each other in case of necessity [10].
This Society assumed, during the centuries, the complete responsibility of taking care for the safety of the territory and buildings in Bagnoregio.
Bibliography (1) A. Luzzato, A. Tagliacozzo. La rassegna mensile di Israel III serie vol.44 No. 7/8 (luglio-agosto 1978) 11 pag. 496-511 Una Comunità ebraica a Bagnoregio nei sec. XV e XVI. (2) Storia di Bagnoregio dai tempi antichi all’anno 1503. Agnesotti - Viterbo 26 gennaio 1956 (3) M. Caggiano De Azevedo, G. Schmiedt Tra Bagnoregio e Ferento ricognizioni archeologiche in Etruria Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Roma 1974 (4) Patrologiae cursus completus Sancti Gregori Papae I cognomento Magni opera omnia. Accurante J. P. Migne, tom. III, apud J. P. Migne Ed., Parisiis, 1849 Sancti Gregorii Magni Registri epistularum Lib. X-Indict. III, epistola XXXIV. (5) Sac. G. Moncelsi Origine della diocesi di Bagnoregio. Supplemento di “Risveglio” n. 48 del 15 settembre 1980 pag. 6-8. (6) F. Petrangeli Papini Origine della Cattedra Episcopale e serie di Vecovi di Bagnoregio patria di San Bonaventura. Estratto bollettino di Doctor Seraphicus. Bagnoregio Giugno 1967. (7) P. Diacono Storia dei Longobardi Libro IV, capoverso 32 pag. 372-373 Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli 1991 Milano (8) A. Gannon, The Double Life of Aufret – Revealed, The Antiquaries Journal, vol. 92, (2012), 115-127. (9) F. Petrangeli Papini Bagnoregio cronologia storica Agnesotti – Viterbo 1972 (10) G. Moncelsi, E. Ramacci Statuto della Città di Bagnoregio del MCCCLXXIII Versione italiana anno 2004