Although the name is of Greek origin, due to the Greek presence during the seventh century
B.C., the city of Olbia was first settled either by the
Nuragics or by
Phoenicians, according to the archaeological findings. It contains ruins from the
Nuragic era to the Roman era, when it was an important port, and the Middle Ages, when it was the capital of the
Giudicato of Gallura, one of the four independent states of Sardinia. During the
First Punic War, the Romans fought against the
Carthaginians and the Sardinians near Olbia, where the general Hanno died in battle. From 1113 it was the episcopal see of the
Diocese of Cività (succeeding to the
Diocese of Gallura, the 1070 restoration of the
Diocese of Fausania, 500–750), which was renamed in 1839 as
Diocese of Civita–Tempio until its formal suppression in favor of (in fact merger into) the
Diocese of Tempio–Ampurias (also integrating the
Diocese of Ampurias, which was in
personal union with the see of Civita from 1506). == Geography ==