In Roman times this territory had to be a
vicus or a
pagus. With the arrival of Christianity, the cult of
St. Michael the Archangel spread which, still today, appears in the name. In the Lombard period the town had reached a considerable size and was part of the Duchy of Spoleto, more precisely in the Gastaldato di Ponte. Founded in 757, at the time of Duke
Alboin, the castle of Ponte extended its power over a large territory which included
Visso, Triponzo,
Norcia, San Pellegrino, Campi, Savelli and, in the Casciano territory, Poggioprimocaso. In the seventh century the convent
Santa Maria delle Rose was built by the
Benedictines and shortly afterwards the town passed under the control of the abbey of
Farfa. In the tenth century local nobles took over. In December 1263, Sant'Angelo in Pontano becomes free
commune, but after a few years it submits to the city of
Tolentino, and subsequently to
Fermo. In the mid-fourteenth century, following the attempt of
Cardinal Albornoz to reduce the castles of the Marca under the dominion of the Pope, Sant'Angelo underwent the siege and conquest by the papal troops. In 1413 it was owned by the
Da Varano family and then returned to Fermo, twenty years later, following the campaign of
Francesco Sforza. Taken back by the troops of the
Papal States, it was sacked and seriously damaged. However, damage was soon repaired and Sant'Angelo returned to be part of the territory of Fermo, following its the fate until the Napoleonic period when it was included in the Department of Tronto. In 1860, at the time of the suppression of the province of Fermo, it became part of
Macerata district.
Name history The first part of the name is a reference to Saint
Michael Archangel, worshipped by the
Lombards, whose image appears on the village
coat of arms on a bridge (recalling the Italian word
ponte, from the Latin
pons, pontis); according to popular tradition, the last word derives from
pantano meaning
swamp or
marsh, as it seems that in early times there was some marshland in the valley below the village. More likely, the name comes from being Sant'Angelo located in the administrative district of the Gastaldato Pontano, established by the Lombard
Duke of Spoleto. In old scroll documents the name is transcribed as follows: - in 967 : "Curtem Sancti Angeli in loco qui vocatur Murgianum". - in 998 : "Curtem Sancti Angeli in loco Margiano". - in about 1070 : "Curtis Sancti Angeli in Morgizano quae nunc ab incolis loci in Pontano dicitur". - in 11th century : "In Sancto Angelo in Merzano terram et castanetum". - in 1084 : "Curtem Sancti Angeli in Murgiano". - in 1118 : "Curtem Sancti Angeli in Mariano". The village was called Sant'Angelo in Murgiano until the times of the Lombard ruling and after this it was called, as it is still called Sant'Angelo in Pontano.
Patron Saint The patron saint of the town is
Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, born (1245) and raised in holiness in Sant'Angelo, where he consecrated his life, joining the
Augustinian family. == Main historical buildings ==