History       

The legend tells us that Giason and the Argonauts, stopped here to do some repairs during the search of the Golden Fleece; three hundred locals joined the crew and left for Troy to support Priam in its struggle against the Greeks. Although this is only a legend, Aristotle is undoubtely referring to Elba when he speaks about a little island in the Etruscan region where metals, such as iron and copper, were mined. In that period, the island was covered by woods and it should be also reddened by the fire; indeed, Aristotle called it “Aethalia” that means spark. Elba was a small land at which the ancient seafaring people aimed. During the sixth century B.C., the island first belonged to people coming from Focea, tOfferente dell'Isola d'Elba. VI secolo A.C. Bronzo.hen the Etruscans dominated it until the beginning of the fourth century when the Greeks coming from Siracuse conquered it. In that period there was only a village; its name was “Argoos” and the Latins would have changed it into “Portus Argous”. The Etruscans and the Ligurians retook the island; in deed, both Plinius and Virgilius referred to it as “Ilva”, deriving from “Ilvates”, viz, people coming from Ligury. By that time, iron was not the only metal found there. The quarrying of granite would last for centuries, and columns built with stone coming from Elba can be admired today at “Pantheon” and “Saint Paul” in Rome. In this period portus Argous and the other Tuscan islands changed their names into Fabricia, Planaria, Lilium, Oglasa, Gorgon, Capraria and Artemisia. Apart from the names, we are ill informed about the Roman domination because of the fact that they used to exploit the seaboard and the islands rather than encouraging their growth and, moreover, they did not like the seafaring life. However, the ruins of an ancient “villa” (probably belonged to P. Acilius Attianus, an officer of the Emperor Adrianus) at “Le Grotte”, Portoferraio, are noteworthy amongst the few traces of that period.

The documented history of Elba begins with the Christianism and the Middle Ages. The name “Elba” appears in a Gregorius Magnus’work about the lives of two saints who give us their documentary testimonies about the island. They are Saint Cerbon, who took refuge here in order to escape the Longobards, and Saint Maximilian, hermit at Montecristo, a little island next to Elba. At the beginning of the eleventh century Elba becomes a Pisan dominion, then it is considered a Tuscan territory not only geographically speaking. Pisa defends the island against the Saracens and built two fortresses still existing today. The first one is the castle of Volterraio that is still intact today in spite of the erosion caused by the weather; the other one is the sea-tower at “Marciana Marina”, which has survived with different names and thanks to the restorations ordered by the Medici. As regards the castle, we only know that it was built in the eleventh century by Vanni of Gherardo Rau by order of the family who ruled Pisa, the Appiani. The unknown origin of the name “Volterraio” cannot but increase the mysterious and fascinating legend about the earliest fortress of the island. Saint Stephen’s church also was built in this period. The Pisan dominion went on until the sixteenth century with intervals of Genoese rule. Then, Elba became a possession of Spain, which dominated all over the Mediterranean Sea. The Spanish period was very important and it has left visible traces on the local customs of the island, particularly in its eastern side. In 1534 Redbeard, the pirate, landed near Rio Marina, plundered and set fire to the village and left for Tunis with his vessels full of slaves; yet, Carlos V rescued them and brought them home again. Under his rule, Elba spent a period of peace and prosperity that finished when he could no longer difend it because of the troubles with France. The island suffered again the attacks of the pirates and it was partially sold to Cosimo de’Medici. Then, “Ferraia”, the ancient Fabricia, came under the Florentine dominion and it was called Cosmopoli.

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