City · The Papal State: the pope's own lands · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Tivoli

Tivoli, on its terrace above the Aniene falls where the Via Tiburtina becomes the Via Valeria, is Rome's oldest enemy among the towns of the Campagna.

It fought the Romans through the twelfth century, gave itself to Barbarossa in 1155 and lodged Henry VI in 1196. With the Empire gone from Italy it stands under the pope's lordship but will not take orders from the Roman senate; Rome does not master it until 1259.

Who holds it

Name
Not pinned (officers for 1200 not found)
Title
The commune of Tivoli
Since
Commune from the early middle ages (Enciclopedia Italiana calls it one of the oldest communes of Italy)
Confidence
low

Enciclopedia Italiana: in 1142 Tivoli backed the antipope Anacletus and defeated Innocent II, who besieged it in person; in 1143 Rome besieged it and the pope had the siege lifted after the Tiburtines submitted to him, which helped spark Rome's communal revolution; in 1145 Tivoli fought Rome again and won; in 1153 Rome took revenge; in 1155 Adrian IV took refuge there and the city gave itself to Barbarossa as an imperial city, and he enlarged and fortified it; Henry VI stayed there in 1196; only in 1259 did Tivoli accept the Roman senate's lordship. Whether Tivoli swore to Innocent III in 1198 is not pinned.

Lord in 1200

Its own commune; papal lordship claimed (and probably acknowledged after 1198, not pinned); Rome's claim rejected.

Overlord

The pope in claim; the emperor in the city's own memory (an imperial city since 1155).

Allies and rivals

Rival of Rome; neighbours to the north-east are the Orsini castles of Vicovaro and Licenza (since 1191).

How things stand that morning

Self-governing; at odds with Rome; no fighting with Rome is recorded for 1199-1200. The commune's countryside reached toward the Sabine hills, with some fifty castles in the diocese (Enciclopedia Italiana, undated); which of them it actually governed in 1200 is not pinned.

Wealth

Road tolls, mills, olives and quarries.

Military

City militia; walls.

Threats

  • Rome's claim to lordship
  • The Orsini building up next door

Charter

Barbarossa's favour (1155): the city enlarged and fortified, and by local tradition allowed the imperial eagle in its arms.

Council

Consuls of the commune (not pinned for 1200); an aristocratic council of 'optimates' is remembered for the twelfth century (it.wikipedia).

Militia

The city host; it beat a papal army in 1142 and the Romans in 1145.

Walls and castle

Walls rebuilt and enlarged under Barbarossa (Enciclopedia Italiana); the Rocca Pia is fifteenth century.

Trade and crafts

The road east to the Abruzzi (the Via Valeria); mills on the Aniene; travertine and limestone; olive oil.

Places of note

  • Aniene falls: The town on its terrace above the falls

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: Twelfth-century wars are dated in the Enciclopedia Italiana; nothing pins its officers or its oath in 1200.

On the map: The near land only; the commune's claims over the diocese's castles are wider and not pinned.

Primary sources for Papal State

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

12 more in the sources library for Southern Italy and the Islands.

Sources and studies

  1. Tivoli (Treccani, Enciclopedia Italiana)
  2. Tivoli (it.wikipedia)

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.