Inhabitants in 1991: 1.088
The
Seggiano municipality extends for 49,53 square kilometres in an area of
medium mountains on the north western slopes of Monte Amiata. Under
the dominion of the Abbey of San Salvatore in the Medieval period, it
formed its present day borders in 1920, with the detachment from its
territory of the municipality of Castel del Piano.
Of probable Etruscan and Roman origin, as attested to by the
finds of a temple from the IV century B.C., Seggiano probably took
its name from the cult of God Giano. It is recorded for the first
time in a parchment from the year 903, as a village (Senganu hamlet)
belonging to the patrimony of the San Salvatore Abbey at Monte Amiata.
In the course of the XIII century the jurisdiction of the Abbey of Sant’Antimo
replaced that of the former Abbey, and that of the Siena republic between
1265 and 1266 consolidated their authority over Seggiano with the
institution of officials nominated by them, and by reinforcing the defensive
structures.
During the Siena dominion, Seggiano and its territory became an influential
area for several great urban families: the Salimbeni, between the
1200 and 1300s, the Ugurgieri from the 1400s. On the community
territory there is the colony of Francescano del Colombaio where San Bernardino
of Siena was formed, and the small castle of Potentino, recorded for the
first time in 1042, then belonging to the Abbey of San Salvatore and from
1213 to Siena. During the Liberation struggle a partisan formation of
the “Amiata” group operated in the territory of Seggiano.
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |