Many are the hypothesis about the origin of the city, but a legend narrates that Todi has risen as population called “Veiis Umbri” wish, a population which lived in the Valley of the river Tevere, in the site where an eagle deposed the tablecloth of their table. 

The inhabitants of the Valley thought that it was a  a sign of the destiny and so they built the city of Todi on the hill. The history wants instead that Todi has been built by the population called “Etruschi”  between the III and the I century a.C and in this epoch the first great city walls that surround the city was built.  

Many are the hypothesis about the origin of the city, but a legend narrates that Todi has risen as population called “Veiis Umbri” wish, a population which lived in the Valley of the river Tevere, in the site where an eagle deposed the tablecloth of their table. 

The inhabitants of the Valley thought that it was a  a sign of the destiny and so they built the city of Todi on the hill. The history wants instead that Todi has been built by the population called “Etruschi” between the III and the I century a.C and in this epoch the first great city walls that surround the city was built.

 

 

"Tular", the ancient name of Todi, defined the city as "earth of border" between the population called “Umbri” and the same Etruschi. 

Subsequently, in the IV century a.C., the city was conquered by the Romans and, after the republican period, it became a “municipium”. In the Middle Ages the city assumes the typical aspect of a castle and was checked by powerful vassals as the count Arnolfi, the count of Montemarte and the counts Atti. In 760 the King of the Longobardis, Desiderio and Pope Paul I arranged the borders of the territory of Todi on the slope of the Dukedom of Spoleto. In 1236 the most famous citizen of Todi was born, Jacopone, one of the first dialect poets of Italy. Jacopone  was an important man of law, but when he was 32 years old, after an episode which touched him inside, he  was converted and started to conduct a poor and monastic life. About the literary work of Jacopone we remember above all the "Laudi" in which he expresses the sense of separation between the human condition and the figure of God. 

Between 1566 and 1606, thanks to the bishop Angelo Cesi, Todi lived the period of greatest shine and it was embellished with beautiful buildings which today still characterize the urbanistic structure of the city. 

After  the reform of States Romans of 1809, thanks to work of Martin V, Todi entered to make part to the State of the Church and it became the head of a big District which included Amelia, Orvieto, Acquapendente, Ficulle and Marsciano. During the Restoration and until the unity of Italy, Todi, had an important role in the events that brought Italy to the liberation. 

After the passage of Garibaldi( the most famous Italian liberator) until the Third War of Independence, many inhabitants of Todi wore the red shirt and they fought for the unity of Italy.