Arretium

Arretium is an ancient Etruscan city, later a Roman municipium, located in modern-day Tuscany, Italy. Its original Etruscan name is believed to have been something akin to "Aritim" or "Arretium." The city played a significant role in the Etruscan League and later became a strategic Roman settlement. During the Roman period, Arretium was renowned for its production of terra sigillata, a distinctive type of red-gloss pottery, which was widely exported throughout the Roman Empire. The impressive remains of Roman theaters and villas attest to its prosperity. Following the decline of the Western Roman Empire, Arretium experienced periods of Lombard and Byzantine rule before becoming an independent commune in the medieval era. Today, the city is known as Arezzo and retains much of its historical charm and architectural heritage. Archaeological discoveries continue to shed light on its rich past, from its Etruscan foundations to its Roman zenith and subsequent medieval development.