Historically, it was inhabited since pre-
Nuragic times. Later, it became an important metallurgic district for the
Romans, who had here a town known as
Metalla. From this period dates the construction of the
Temple of Antas at Fluminimaggiore, dedicated to the cult of the
Sardus Pater. In the Middle Ages, the
Pisans founded here the mining town of
Villa di Chiesa (modern Iglesias), which soon became one the largest in the island. Later it was conquered by the
Aragonese, who held it until 1720, when the
house of Savoy acquired the
Kingdom of Sardinia. During the 17th-18th century were refounded the villages of
Musei,
Gonnesa and
Fluminimaggiore. mines From the mid-19th century the mining activity resumed at a rapid pace which led to the opening of the mines of Monteponi, Ingurtosu, Montevecchio and the mining villages of
Buggerru, Nebida, San Benedetto and Gennas Serapis. Recently, the decline of the mining sector has caused a crisis of the local economy. ==See also==