Gubbio is an ancient town whose origins go back to the height of the Umbrian civilization, as can be seen from the Eugubine Tablets (seven bronze tablets with writing in the Umbrian language, preserved at the Civic Museum in Palazzo dei Consoli). The Romans gave it the name Iguvium, and later Eugubium. Destroyed by the Goths (552), who were succeeded first by the Byzantines (592) and then the Lombards (772), it rose again in the 11th century, when it was established as an independent commune. In the 12th century, Gubbio, under the spiritual guidance of Bishop Ubaldo, the great protector of Gubbio, won a war against Perugia and other nearby towns. Thanks to its thriving industry (specialized in majolica pottery), it reached its greatest splendor in the 14th century, during which time many monuments were built and it took on the medieval appearance that still has today.
