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History
The name Trento probably comes from the three mountains (Bondone, Calisio or Argentario and Marzola) that have the shape of a trident (Neptune’s trident) and surround the town. The first inhabitants came in this area around I century b.C. and they were Cenomani people, allied to Romans. Romans called them Tridentinus and the name of the town became Tridentum. Emperor Claudio in 46 a.C. described the town as a wonderful one ("splendidum municipium"). During Augustus age the town developed from an artistic and an administrative point of view. The Roman Vigilio converted the population to Catholicism and he died as a martyr, thus becoming the patron of the town. After the fall of the Roman Empire there were several invasions by Goths led by Teodorico; by Longobards led by Evino; by Franks that transformed the dukedom in a "Marca italiana". Ottone I considered Trento as the southern part of Germany and Corrado II Salico gave to the Bishop of Trento the temporal power over the town because he wanted the road from Germany to Italy to stay free. Thus there was the creation of the Princedom of Trento that lasted 775 years until 1802. Since 1514 Trento lived a very rich period, thanks to its bishop, Bernardo Clesio, a scholar, a patron, a politician, and a religious man. He had a great influence over emperors Charles V and Ferdinand I. His heir, Cardinal Cristoforo Madruzzo, brought the important Ecumenical Council in Trento (to organize a perfect response to the Reform by Martin Luther) from 1545 to 1563. Trento had also a strategic position between Rome and Germany (it was like an ideal bridge between the Catholic world that was looking for new strength and the new Lutheran Germany. Germany had repudiated Rome but the aim of the Council was to bring it back to the traditional faith). In 1796 Napoleon settled a council that replaced the bishop in the government of the town. In 1802 the princedom of Trento passed to Austria. In 1848 there were some rebellions to separate from Tirolo; other rebellions were in 1849 and in 1866. But the peace of Vienna left Trento to Austria for 52 years. Patriot Cesare Battisti, with his friends Fabio Filzi and Damiano Chiesa, fought hard to assess the "Italian nature" of Trento and he was hanged on 12th July 1916. In 1918 after the First World War the town passed to Italy. In the Sociology faculty at University there was a protest in 1968.
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Written by Stefania Maffeo
Translation by Linda Liguori |
