"Augusta Perusia" was the name given to this ancient city by the Romans when the emperor Augustus rebuilt it after his troops had succesfully besieget and in large part destroyed it during the civil war against Anthony. Before occupation by the Romans, Perugia had originally been a settlement of the Umbrians and then of the Etruscans who had occupied the right bank of the Tiber and of whose civilization splendid remains are still visible. Perugia became an independent city-state in the 11th century, when it was embellished with magnificent buildings and assumed the appearance it still retains today. The city is built on a hill-top some 500 metres high, spread over its slopes in the form of a star. The oldest part of the city dates from Etruscan times, and is still partially situated within the mighty walls dating from that period, in which there are various gateways: The Arch of Augustus, the Porta Sole, the Porta della Mandorla, the Porta Marzia, the Porta Trasimeno and Cornea (or Sant’Ercolano). Other arches affording entry into the town were added in Roman and medieval times, as the city gradually extended beyond its original size. Today Perugia preserves the structure of its past almost unaltered, with its steep alleys and stairways, its beautiful old buildings, its picturesque corners, and its magnificent panoramic views over the countryside below.
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