Editing Todi (section)

==History==
According to the legend, said to have been recorded around 1330 BC by a mythological Quirinus Colonus, Todi was built by [[Hercules]], who here killed [[Cacus]], and gave the city the name of ''Eclis''.

Historical Todi was founded by the ancient Italic people of the [[Umbri]], in the 8th-7th century BC, with the name of '''''Tutere'''''.<ref>[[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]], ''[[Naturalis Historia]]''</ref><ref> J. Poultney, The Bronze Tables of Iguvium, 1959 </ref> The name means "border", the city being located on the frontier with the [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]] dominions. It probably was still under the latter's influence when it was conquered by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] in 217 BC. According to [[Silius Italicus]], it had a double line of walls that stopped [[Hannibal]] himself after his victory at [[Battle of Trasimeno|Lake Trasimeno]]. In most Latin texts, the name of the town took the form ''Tuder''. 

A notable archeologic find from the Etruscan period is an ancient bronze, the [[Mars of Todi]], discovered in 1835 in the nearby Montesanto; and now at the Gregorian Etruscan section of the [[Vatican Museums]], but a copy is kept in the [[crypt]] of the [[Todi Cathedral|Cathedral]].

It was the home of [[Trajan]]'s family, the ''Ulpi Traiani''. Christianity spread to Todi very early, through the efforts of [[St. Terentianus]]. Bishop [[Fortunatus of Todi|St. Fortunatus]] became the [[patron saint]] of the city for his heroic defence of it during the [[Gothic Wars (6th century)|Gothic]] siege. In [[Lombards|Lombard]] times, Todi was part of the [[Duchy of Spoleto]].

After the 12th century, the city started to expand again: the government was held first by consuls, and then by [[podestà]] and a people's captain, some of whom achieved wide fame. In 1244 the new quarters, housing mainly the new artisan classes, were enclosed in a new circle of walls.

Benedetto Caetani, the later [[Pope Boniface VIII]], started his career as a [[Canon (priest)|Canon]] in the Cathedral of Todi in 1260. He never forgot his roots in Todi, later describing the city as "the dwelling place of my early youth," the city which "nourished me while still of tender years," and as a place where he "held lasting memories."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Boase |first=T. S. R. |url=https://archive.org/details/bonifaceviii0000tsrb/mode/2up?q=todi&view=theater |title=Boniface VIII |date=1933 |publisher=Constable & Company Ltd. |others=Internet Archive |pages=7}}</ref>

In 1290 the city had 40,000 inhabitants. Communal autonomy was lost in 1367 when the city was annexed to the [[Papal States]]: the local overlordship shifted among various families (the Tomacelli, the [[House of Malatesta|Malatesta]], [[Braccio da Montone]], [[Francesco Sforza]] and others). Although reduced to half of its former population, Todi lived a brief period of splendour under bishop [[Angelo Cesi (bishop of Todi)|Angelo Cesi]], who rebuilt several edifices or added new ones, like the Cesia Fountain that still bears his name.

In July 1849 Todi received [[Giuseppe Garibaldi]], who was fleeing after the failed democratic attempt of the [[Roman Republic (19th century)|Republic of Rome]].

Todi is the birthplace of the Franciscan poet [[Jacopone da Todi]], who is buried in a special crypt in the church of S. Fortunato.