THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN

THE ORIGINS

Offida is a town of very ancient origins.
About the origin of its name, many different proposals have been made by the experts during time:

· OPPIDA (a fortress town)
· OPHYS (a Greek word meaning snake)
· OPHIDA (a rich hill)

It was founded in the stone age, theory backed up by numerous archaeological remains, found in the territory.

Later, the origins of Offida should be attributed to the picene, who founded it, which derived from a group of young sabines.

The picene civilization, was extinguished with the arrival of the Romans, during the third century B.C.

In the sixth century A.D. the Lombards arrived in Italy, which in 580 A.D. conquisted Ascoli and also Offida, in spite of vain attempts made by the population to oppose new invaders.

During the seventh century A.D., according to what has been referred by the historic G. Colucci, Offida was already residence of a castle, then it became residence of a land agent of the count ship of Ascoli.

FROM 900 TO 1100

The historic Arduini confirms in his historic writings that, with the arrival of the Farfensi monks, Offida came to know a period of real prosperity, from an economic and agricultural point of view and in the public order, a more comfortable and secure lifestyle with the construction of the town walls and later the Council Building.

FROM 1200 TO 1400

In the 13th century, Offida could already be considered a town following a Bull of Urbano IV.

During the 13th century, there were continual conflicts among Guelphs and Ghibellines between the cities of Ascoli and Fermo, battles which lasted till the 16th century, saw Offida involved and allied with Fermo.

The distinguishing families of Offida are the Boldrini (Ghibellines) and the Baroncelli ( Guelphs) and during the course of the centuries there were internal rivalries and fratricidal conflicts among the most
enowned families of Offida to gain dominance over the town.

THE 1500

Only in 1533 the rivalry between the two families ended following a hard battle when the whole Boldrini family was slaughtered by Carlo Baroncelli, brother of Baldassarre Baroncelli.

In 1557 some French people heading to Fermo, attempted to set fire to the Council Building immediately destroying a part of the Council archives.

In the later Middle Ages Offida was the centre of intense public life, it is evidenced by the founding of the city market in 1576 and from the council statutes reformed in 1524 under the Papacy of Clemente VII.

THE 1600

In the 16th century, until the 18th century, the town returned to the Papal State, powered by Montalto, who was given autonomy.

FROM 1700 TO 1800

In 1808 the Marches was united with Napoleon in the Italian Kingship, decision which determined the end of the temporary Papal power reaffirmed in 1815 from the Congress of Vienna.

The Marches were divided into zones, districts and communes, each council had its own town assembly which met twice a yea, composed of an authority, of a number of wise men, of the bigger councils and a lord mayor and few elders from the small councils.

In 1860 a revolutionary group participated in the battles against the Papal Army which was defeated at Castelfidardo and took up governing the town.

Following such events in 1861 Offida was included into the province of Ascoli Piceno, and the first lord mayor, Domenico Curti, was nominated. Starting from this period there were numerous developments which bought the town to expand economically not only in agriculture but in flourishing craftsmanship and a process of growing industrialization evidenced by the rising of a tobacco factory, and some sericultural factories.

Following the economical increase, many leading services were created:

· The railway station (1886)

· Car hiring (1886)

· The post office (1874)

· The telegraph (1874)

· The electrical network (1906)

· The commercial activities (13 important fairs or shows and the Thursday's weekly fair)

THE TWO WARS

The two wars not only delayed the process of modernization, but it saw the destruction of some services that were previously created (telephone and telegraph and the electrical network) as well as some monuments like the city council, S. Maria della Rocca, the capuchin church. However in 1926, was construct a elettric tramway the only one in the region, which linked the town centre and the railway station in Castel di Lama.

POST-WAR PERIOD

In the second post - war period the process of modernization was renewed, in the 70's and 80's we can note:

· Shoe factories

· Factories for military clothing

· Textile factories

· Leather good factories

· Industries for the working of electrical goods

· Handbag factories

· Operatives of live stock and wine

· The wine growing and producing industries

Also there has been an increase in trying to increment the pillow lace and the current situation is in continual progress.

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