Nepi


Nepi is a town and comune in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, central Italy. The town lies southeast of the city of Viterbo and about southwest from Civita Castellana.
The town is known for its mineral springs, sold and bottled under the Acqua di Nepi brand throughout Italy.

History

The region was already occupied in the 8th century BC; neighbouring Pizzo had been occupied in the Bronze Age. Nepet became Roman before 386 BC, when Livy speaks of it and Sutrium as the keys of Etruria. In that year it was surrendered to the Etruscans and recovered by the Romans, who beheaded the authors of its surrender. It became a colony in 383 BC. It was among the twelve Latin colonies that refused further help to Rome in 209 BC. After the Social War it became a municipium. It is hardly mentioned in Imperial times, except as a station on the road which diverged from the Via Cassia near the modern Settevene and ran to Amelia and Todi.
In the 8th century AD it was the seat of a duchy for a short while. During the late 9th to early 10th century, it was, along with much of central Italy, threatened by the Saracens.

Main sights