San Pietro in Monte

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Category: Chiese

It was built by the Benedictines in 1000 and suppressed at the end of the fourteenth century. The Abbey had jurisdiction over a large territory and at the dependencies of its Abbot were also the churches of St. Ippolito of Castelvecchio and San Ilario of Todi. Its rich and valuable archive has been moved after the suppression to the Archives of the Cathedral of Spoleto. Like most Christian buildings, San Pietro was built on the remains of a Roman structure, presumably a temple dedicated to Mars, particularly revered in this area, so as to give the name of Martani to the mountains, the territory and the Vicus Martis.

This hypothesis is also supported by the discovery of some exhibits including a stone with a Roman inscription (used to support the church altar table, stored in the private chapel adjoining the building abbey).

Curiosity: Greeks and Romans outlined in a different way the figure of the god of war:

For the Greeks, Ares was a god of irrational and bloody with no special consideration;

For the Romans, who called it Marte, was second only to the king of Olympus.

In reality, his cult was already widespread among the Pre Roman civilizations, who regarded him as the god of nature and fertility, but also of thunder and rain.

According to mythology, Juno turned to Flora (goddess of flowers), looking for revenge on her husband Jupiter (alone had conceived Minerva)

The goddess of flowers and spring showed her a special flower that, on contact, allowed her to generate Marte, then raised by Priapus at art of war.

When Rome decided to extend their boundaries, promoting the series of military campaigns that gradually transformed it into an empire of vast dimensions, Marte was only associated with the war. Marte is considered the father of the Roman people: from its union with Rea Silvia born Romulo and Remo, the founders of the city. The first month of the archaic calendar (march) took by him name and to Marte were dedicated the main parties.

From the iconographic point of view, the god of war was always represented as a vigorous man, manly-looking, sometimes with a beard, with helmet and shield, spear and sword, rarely with full armor.