History
A rare bronze plaque with a brief inscription to the Dea Cupra in the ancient Umbrian language has been found in the territory of the comune, evidence of pre‑Roman habitation. Roman vestiges have been found as well, but not in quantities nor concentrations such as to warrant conclusively identifying Fossato with the ancient Helvillum, the site of which remains unknown: the other main candidate is Sigillo.
Fossato is known, however, to have been inhabited in the early Middle Ages, when it was the southernmost outpost of the Byzantine corridor, which its name seems to confirm: while fossato, meaning "ditch" in Italian, is not an uncommon placename, it is usually found on small creeks — but Fossato di Vico is on sharply sloping ground with no watercourse in the area, and it has therefore been proposed by local historians that the name is to be derived from Latin (and Byzantine Greek) fossatum, a ditch-fortified defensive work.
The specification "di Vico" was added to the name in 1862, to remember a noble of the Duchy of Spoleto. Fossato was part of the county of Nocera in th 9th century, and after the Vico it was a possession of the Bulgarelli family, who built the current castle. In 1386 it became a free commune, which was annexed to the Papal States in 1540.
Read more about this topic: Fossato Di Vico
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