Romans d'Isonzo
Welcome to Romans d'Isonzo: a look at the physical geography
Hello everyone! Today I will take you on a journey to discover Romans d'Isonzo, an Italian municipality located in the plain of eastern Friuli. Traveling through the Torre, Iudrio, Versa and the Bisunta streams, you will arrive at a town with ancient history and a privileged location. The city is, in fact, 18 km from the provincial capital Gorizia, halfway between the larger Trieste and Udine. Along with the capital, the municipality also includes the fractions of Fratta and Versa. Over the years, Romans d'Isonzo has distinguished itself for its active crafts and industry, in an area that represents a crossroads of ancient and modern trade routes.
A dive into the history of Romans d'Isonzo
But now, let's take a look at the history of the municipality. The territory of Romans d'Isonzo was inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the remains of the ancient culture of castellieri. Even the Roman settlement left evident traces, with five rustic settlements identified in the area. In 1986, one of the largest Lombard necropolises in Italy was discovered in the "San Zorç" locality. Some of the artifacts are exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum of Cividale and Aquileia, the capital of Regio X Venetia et Histria during the Augustan Age.
In the Middle Ages, the territory of Romans d'Isonzo was part of the County of Gorizia. In the donation of the Marquis of Tuscany Uldarico to the Patriarch of Aquileia dated 2 February 1170, three inhabited nuclei are mentioned: Latina, Raccogliano and Pradigoi, which constituted three distinct villages. In the names "Predegoj" and "Rachelach", traces of Slavic toponymy can be found. This is the result of colonization wanted by the Aquileian Patriarch around the year 1000, with Slovene-speaking people, which followed the devastating incursions of the Magyars. In a document from 1326, reference is made to the "Mansio di Romans" and news of a fortified "centa" around the Church is known.
The population of Romans d'Isonzo was victim of numerous Turkish raids in 1472, 1477 and 1499. On this last occasion, the inhabitants sought refuge around the "centa" and in the church. In 1751, patriarchal authority was suppressed and Romans d'Isonzo passed under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the newborn Archdiocese of Gorizia. During the Napoleonic Wars, the municipality underwent lootings by French troops, who did not even spare the cemeteries.
The popular looting of 1797
But not everything was negative! On 21 March 1797, the people of Fratta (one of the fractions of the municipality) looted the barn and cellar of the noble house of Count Strassoldo. Suddenly, the crowd was overwhelmed by the smell of wheat and wine, and was tempted by food and drink. This episode represents the only case of popular uprising recorded in the history of Romans d'Isonzo.
Conclusions
Here's a brief tour of the history and geography of Romans d'Isonzo. I hope it has been useful to you, and that you now have a greater knowledge and appreciation for this beautiful municipality. I suggest you absolutely visit the necropolis and the National Archaeological Museum of Cividale, as well as the Fortress of Palmanova. Have a good trip and see you soon!
