HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS ARCHAEOLOGY
Liguria knew the presence of man in very remote times. Traces of Neanderthal Man
were discovered in the region of Loano, whereas in Ventimiglia, in the grotto of
"Balzi Rossi", numerous remains were found which recall those of Cro-Magnon Man.
According to the written sources we have about the settlements of the Ligurians,
the presence of this people of Mediterranean origin dates back to the first
millennium B.C. on a vast territory including most of north-western Italy. This
people, divided into several tribes, did not reach the number of two hundred
thousand people.
After the first Punic War, in which the ancient Ligurians split up between
Carthage’s allies (most of them) and Rome’s allies, and especially after the
Roman conquer of the region, the so-called X regio, named Liguria, was created
at the epoch of Emperor Augustus, stretching from the coast to the banks of Po
River. The great Roman roads (Aurelia and Julia Augusta on the coast, Postumia
and Aemilia Scauri towards the inland) helped strengthen the territorial unity
and increase exchanges and trade. Important towns developed on the coast, of
which evidences are left in the ruins of Albenga, Ventimiglia and Luni. Between
the IV and the X centuries Liguria was dominated by the Byzantine, the Lombardic
of king Rotari (about 641) and the Franks (about 774) and it was invaded by the
Saracens and the Normans. In the X century, once decreased the danger of
pirates, the Ligurian territory was divided into three marches: Obertenga
(east), Arduinica (west) and Aleramica (centre). In the XI and XII centuries the
marches were split into feuds, however, with the strengthening of the bishops’
power, the feudal structure of feuds weakened. The main Ligurian towns,
especially on the coast, became city-states, over which Genoa soon extended its
rule, whereas for a very long time the inland remained split up into feuds
belonging to noble families.
Between the XI century (when the Genoese ships played a major role in the first
crusade) and the XV century Genoa experienced an extraordinary political and
commercial ascent (mainly spice trades with the Orient) and it was the most
powerful maritime republic in the Mediterranean from the XII to the XIV century,
as is proven by its victorious resistance against Emperor Frederick Barberousse
and by the Genoese presence in the nerve centres of power during the last phase
of the Byzantine empire. After the introduction of the title of doge for life
(1339) and the election of Simone Boccanegra, Genoa resumed its struggles
against the marquis of Finale and the earls of Laigueglia and it conquered again
the territories of Finale, Oneglia and Porto Maurizio. In spite of its military
and commercial successes, Genoa fell prey to the internal factions. In this
state of weakness the rule of the republic was given to the Visconti family of
Milan. After their expulsion by the popular forces under Boccanegra’s lead, the
republic remained in Genoese hands until 1396, when the internal instability led
the doge Antoniotto Adorno to surrender the title of Seignior of Genoa to the
king of France. Also the French were driven away in 1409 and Liguria went back
under Milan’s control in 1421, thus remaining until 1435. The alternation of
French and Milanese dominions over Liguria went on until the first half of the
XVI century. The French influence ceased in 1528, when Andrea Doria became the
prestigious ally of the powerful king of Spain and imposed an aristocratic
government which gave the republic a relative stability during about 250 years.
The impoverishment of the commercial lines with the Orient forced the Ligurian
notables to engage, since then, in financial speculation. The international
crises of the XVII century, which ended for Genoa with the bombing (1684) by
King Sun’s fleet, restored the French influence over the republic. Right because
of this influence, the Ligurian territory was traversed by the Piedmontese and
Austrian armies when these two states came into conflict with Versailles. The
limit was reached with the Austrian occupation of Genoa in 1746. The Habsburgic
troops were driven away by a popular insurrection in the same year. Napoleon’s
first Italy campaign marked the end of the secular republic which, by the
Emperor’s will, was transformed into Ligurian Republic , according to the model
of the French Republic. After the union of Oneglia and Loano (1801), Liguria was
annexed to the French empire (1805) and divided by Napoleon into three
departments: Montenotte, with capital Savona, Genoa and the department of the
Apennines, with capital Chiavari. After a short period of independence in 1814,
the Congress of Vienna (18159 decided that Liguria should be annexed to the
kingdom of Sardinia. The Genoese upraising against the House of Savoy in 1821,
which was put down with great bloodshed, aroused the population’s national
sentiments. Some of the most prestigious figures of the Risorgimento were born
in Liguria (Mazzini, Garibaldi, Mameli, Bixio). In the first years of the
century the region’s economic growth was remarkable: a lot of industries
flourished from Imperia to La Spezia. During the tragic period of World War Two
Liguria experienced hunger and two years of occupation by the German troops,
against whom a liberation struggle was led among the most effective in Italy (it
must be remembered that Genoa, the only one among the European cities, had
already freed itself when it welcomed the advancing allied troops).
The signs of civilizations and cultures in Liguria from
prehistoric to mediaeval times can still be seen today. Apart from the largest
and best-known archaeological sites, we have also mentioned other places of
archaeological interest which, for many reasons, have never been excavated or
studied in depth.
The drawings in the grottoes at Balzi Rossi in Ventimiglia go back to the upper
Paleolithic era; the presence of Neanderthal man has been found over most of
western Liguria. Some sites are of exceptional scientific importance, such as
the celebrated Toirano grottoes (the Basura and Colombo grottoes), the grottoes
in the Finale area and the grotto of the Madonna dell'Arma at Bussana in Sanremo.
Between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, the major settlements were in the
Pennavaira Valley, on the island of Palmaria (Colombo grotto) and in the Balzi
Rossi area, which was inhabited up to Roman times.
The pre-Roman civilization of the Liguri tribe, which gave their name to the
region, occupied all of the territory from west to east and is evident in the
ruins of "castellari", the fortified areas in dominant positions (generally on a
piece of high ground from which the coast, valleys and river mouths could be
controlled) and in other remaining traces. The Romans took a long time to
conquer Ligurian resistance, especially in the mountain areas; but when
territorial control was complete, the villages of the Ligurian were absorbed
into the new settlements and in many cases it is now difficult for
archaeologists to distinguish the two levels from each other.
The Via Aurelia and Via Julia Augusta along the coast and the inland roads of
Via Posthumia and Via Aemilia Scauri helped to reinforce territorial unity and
increase trading and exchange; some large towns developed along the coast and
the remains of some of these can still be seen in the digs at Albenga,
Ventimiglia and Luni.
The archaeological area in Ventimiglia was brought to light in 1877. It is
possible to observe the Roman town from the railway viaduct: you can just make
out the structure of the theatre made of Turbia stone with two side entrances,
as well as traces of roads and houses. One of the most interesting finds is the
mosaic fragment showing the figure of Arius from the ancient thermal baths.
During the Imperial era, some middle-class Romans built their summer residences
in Liguria: interesting remains of such buildings can be seen in the La Spezia
area (Villa Bocca di Magra and Villa del Varignano), near Bussana, along the Via
Julia Augusta, and in many other western localities.
In Loano, along the Via Aurelia in the direction of Borghetto Santo Spirito, you
can still see the parts of the old Via Julia Augusta: the best preserved part is
the so-called Pontasso, a little bridge built in "opus sectum" style (small
shell-like stones). In Albissola Superiore, close to the railway station, you
can find the excavations on the ancient Alba Docilia. Again in the province of
Savona, between Albenga and Alassio, there is a Roman road along the hillside
through the olives and Mediterranean vegetation which once joined the two towns.
Luni, in the province of La Spezia, is the largest excavation site in the
region. The ancient town of "Lunae" was a coastal town; however, it now stands
about 2 kilometres from the sea due to the filling-in of the port, not far from
the mouth of the River Magra. It was an important commercial town: Pliny and
Martial both praised the local wines and cheeses, while Strabo wrote of the
large tree trunks that were brought down to the valley from the Apennines along
the River Magra. The commercial product that caused Luni to prosper was above
all the marble from the Apuan mountains, which was used all over the Roman
empire.
The most evident signs left by the Middle Ages are the fortifications: there
were many fortified towns in the hinterland area and you will come across many
ruins and fragments of towers, walls and castles during your visit. Unlike the
defence structures, only very few of the churches were abandoned: while changing
social and political conditions made certain defense systems redundant, the
churches and other religious buildings have nearly always been restructured and
extended. Moreover, the oldest churches were built on existing sacred areas, as
in the case of the church of San Pietro in Portovenere and the cathedral in
Brugnato: excavations beneath the latter have discovered an ancient Ligurian
burial ground