History of Lucca, Italy

Tuscany was originally inhabited by tribes of Ligurians and by the Etruscans. Lucca was a city of the Ligurians. When the Romans arrived, they allied themselves with the Etruscans against the Ligurians who fled into the Apuan Alps. Lucca is first mentioned in 218 B.C., when the Roman general Sempronius regrouped here after an unsuccessful battle with Hannibal. In 177 B.C., a Roman colony was established and in 56 B.C. Cæsar, Pompey and Crassus renewed the triumvirate at Lucca. The main streets of the city were the "cardo maximo" which ran in a north-southerly direction corresponding to the modern Via Fillungo, and the "decumano maximo" corresponding to the modern Via S. Croce, which ran in a east-westerly direction. 

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The nucleus of the city was the forum which was placed at the junction of these two main roads and which corresponds to the present-day Piazza S. Michele, where the church is still referred to as S. Michele in Foro (St. Michael in the Forum). The circuit of the walls was irregular owing to frequent changes in the course of the river Auserculus, (the Auserculus or Ozieri was the main river in ancient times, while the present-day Serchio was merely a minor branch).

The first span of the walls built in the second century B.C. was of rectangular shape, approximately 8 to 9 metres high, built "ad opus quadratus" with blocks of travertine which came from local quarries. The area of the city was 39 hectares and the population was approximately 10,000. The walls were roughly 2,500 metres long, corresponding to the modern Via Mordini and Via degli Angeli (Sommella) in the north; Via Galli Tassi, Via S. Domenico, Via Cittadella up to Corso Garibaldi in the west; Corso Garibaldi in the south; and in the east, Via dell’Angelo Custode and Via della Rosa.  The city had four gates along the circuit of the walls: the "decumanus" linking the east gate of S. Gervasio and the west gate of S. Donato; and The "cardo", linking the north gate of S. Frediano and the south gate of S. Pietro. In the second century A.D. the amphitheatre was erected outside the Roman walls while the theatre was built inside.

The site of the amphitheatre is within the present walls and its shape is perfectly preserved by Piazza del Mercato. It was built during the I and II centuries and could accommodate over 10,000 spectators. It was covered with marble and decorated with columns but was abandoned during the barbaric invasions. In 1830, Lorenzo Nottolini restructured the buildings erected randomly on the site of the old amphitheatre giving the piazza the plan it has today. Nottolini retained buildings of different heights and opened up an access street. The only part of the original fabric of the amphitheatre left today is the arch on the left through which you enter the square. The other arches in the square were erected in the last century.

Lucca has always been an important thoroughfare owing to its location. The Via Clodia was built around 155 B.C. while the Via Emilia was built in 109 B.C. The Via Cassia, linking Rome and Florence, went on to Pistoia from which one could then proceed north to Bologna or turn west towards Lucca. During the Municipium, the most important communication routes were: Lucca-Pisa and Lucca-Luni (Camaiore, Pietrasanta), the latter, either joined Via Emilia Scaura heading towards Luni or, more likely, followed the present-day Via Sarzanese and turned left just after the S. Pietro bridge, which met up with the Aurelia and took you to Massaciuccoli where there are numerous Roman villas and the remains of the Roman thermal baths. In fact, the territory of Lucca is rich in mineral and thermal springs, and there are mineral baths about fifteen miles from the city. The remains of Roman thermal baths have been found in the heart of Lucca, in the subterranean section of the Basilica of S. Giovanni and S. Reparata.

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During the Gothic wars, Lucca was besieged and taken by Totila (550). Hoping for assistance from the Franks, the Lucchesi obstinately resisted the attack of Narses, surrendering only after a siege of seven months (553). Lucca later fell into the hands of the Lombards, becoming a place of great importance and the favourite seat of the Marquesses of Tuscany. In 981 Otto bestowed on its bishop civil jurisdiction over the entire diocesan territory but in 1081 Henry IV made it a free city and conferred other favours upon it, especially in the way of trade. This was the origin of the Republic of Lucca, which lasted until 1799. 

 Lucca in the Middles Ages

From 1088 to 1144, Lucca was continually at war with her rival Pisa, and either by conquest or purchase increased her possessions. In 1160 the Guelph marquess finally surrendered all right of jurisdiction. Lucca was generally on the side of the pope against the emperor, and hence joined the League of S. Ginesio (1197). In the thirteenth century, despite her wars with Pisa, Florence, and the imperial cities, Lucca increased her power and commerce, but in 1313 the city was taken by Uguccione della Faggiuola, Lord of Pisa. The Lucchesi, however, under the most dramatic circumstances, freed themselves and chose as captain their fellow-citizen, Castruccio degli Antelminelli, known as Castracane (1316), the restorer of the military art, who had been imprisoned by Uguccione. Castruccio drove out the Pisans, obtained for life the title of Defender of the People, and received from Louis the Bavarian the hereditary title of Duke of Lucca. His descendants, however, were deprived of the title by the same prince (1328-9). Castruccio adorned and fortified the city whose territory now extended from the Magra to Pistoia and Volterra. 

 Lucca during the Renaissance

On the death of Castruccio, Louis conferred Lucca on Francesco, a relative and enemy of Castruccio. The Lucchesi, however, placed themselves under John of Bohemia; the latter, in 1333, pawned the city to the Rossi of Parma, who ceded it to Mastino della Scala (1335), by whom it was sold to the Florentines for 100,000 florins (1341). This displeased the Pisans, who occupied the city (1342). It was liberated by Charles IV (1360), who gave it an imperial vicar. From 1370 it was free. In 1400 Paolo Guinigi obtained the chief power, which he exercised with moderation and justice. At the instigation of the Florentines, who sought possession of the city, Guinigi was betrayed into the hands of Filippo Maria Visconti (1430), who caused him to be murdered at Pavia. With the aid of Piccinino, Lucca maintained her freedom against the Florentines. After that the security of this little state, governed by the people, was undisturbed. The revolt of the straccioni discolato deserves mention. It was similar to the ostracism of the Athenians. If a citizen, either through wealth or merit, obtained excessive favour among the people, twenty-five signatures were sufficient to banish him. 

 Lucca, Italy, in Modern Times

In 1799 Lucca was joined to the Cisalpine Republic. In 1805 Napoleon made it a dukedom for his cousin Felice Bacciochi. In 1814 it was occupied by the Neapolitans, and later by the Austrians. In 1817 it was given to Maria Luisa, widow of the King of Etruria, whose son Carlo Ludovico ceded it to Tuscany in 1847. Lucca is now the capital of the province of the same name in Tuscany, central Italy, and is situated on the River Serchio at the base of the Tuscan Apennines in the midst of a well-watered, fertile plain, close to the Mediterranean Sea. Its olive oil is exceptionally good although not as good as that produced by your webmaster, of course.

The Garfagnana ranges behind Lucca