L'isolotto
dalla Cala dei
Santi | It seems that Porto Ercole has an Etruscan name. This is testified by the recent
discovery of an etruscan necropolis, located near Cala Galera, placed in the
13th sector of the Etruscan zodiac sign, which corresponds to the constellation
of Hercules. Strabone, a roman historian died in 24 AD, gives us the first
written information about Porto Ercole in his "Geografia". He called this place
"Porto Cosarius" (The Port of Cosa) because of its previous relationship with
the etruscan city of Cosa, whose riuns can still be admired on the top of the
promontory of Ansedonia, near Porto Ercole.
After the roman conquest, the whole Argentario was included in the estate of
Dominii Argentari - a powerful family of banckers (argentarii) - and was named
in latin "Argentariorum Mans" which means the Mount of the Banckers.
During the Middle Ages, Argentario belonged to the powerful families
Aldobrandeschi and Orsini. Then it became a possession of the Sienese
Republic.
In 1543 Porto Ercole was sacked by the Pirate Barbarossa. In the 16th century
Argentario was involved in events of great historical importance for Europe. In
fact, in 1557 the Spanish, after their conquest of the State of Siena, gave it to
Cosimo I dè Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and obtained Porto Langone at
Elba, Talamone, Orbetello, Porto S. Stefano, Porto Ercole and the promontory
of Argentario. These places formed the State of the Spanish Garrisons (Stato
dei Presidi). Spain wanted that this state played a leading role in her
diplomacy in Italy and it is for this reason that massive fortifications were
planned and built.
The State of the Garrisons survived until 1707, when it was involved in the war
of Spanish Succession. As a result it passed from the Spanish to the Austrians
(1714) and then to the Bourbous of Naples (1738).
In 1801 by means of Napoleon it became a French dominion. After 1801 it was
bound to the Ground Ducky of Tuscany and finally to the Italian State in 1860.
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