Along the Way of St Francis, we meet Toffia, the village in Sabina where the air smells of pressed oil in winter and cherry blossom in summer.
Known in the Middle Ages as Tophiae, it was built by a certain Theophilus. The village is surrounded by walls that are now crumbling. Findings in the 1960s show that the area was already inhabited in Apennine (1000 to 2000 years BC) and Roman times. The most reliable foundation date is 897 AD, according to an ancient parchment:
“fuit aedificata Tophia anno domini a nativitate octigentesimo nonagesimo septimo“.
Historical documents describe ‘the fortress’ built in 936 on Roman ruins by a Duke of Spoleto. From the remains of reticulated walls and other archaeological fragments, the pre-existence of an important Roman centre in this locality can be affirmed. Farfa acts, concerning donations relating to Casalis Tophia or its surroundings, date back to well before the 10th century.
Church of Santa Maria Nova in Toffia – photo www.comune.toffia.ri.it
In the following centuries, two important Roman families contended for possession of the Toffiese territory: Orsini and Colonna. The conflict between the two families led to the division of the village into two areas: the lower area of the Orsini with the Palazzo Orsini, today’s municipal seat, and the higher area of the Colonna where the Church of Santa Maria Nova was later to be built. In addition to the above, do not miss a visit to Casa Oddoni, Palazzo Ruffetti, Palazzo Palma and Casa Orsini.
The Marble of Piazza a Toffia
The history of the ‘Marmo di Piazza’ is curious. It is located in Piazza Lauretana, in front of the Church of Our Lady of Loreto, and is a find from Roman times. It is a large, slightly oval-shaped stone, between 135 and 110 centimetres in diameter and about 20 centimetres thick. What was it used for? The ‘Marmo di Piazza’ was used as a table where bargains were struck, assaying the exchange currency, on its surface, by virtue of its ‘good’ sound. What the sound was, we do not know, but we do know that we are in the presence of a fundamental instrument in Toffia for concluding deals.