Legendary beginnings – the sons of Remus
Siena’s beginnings are wrapped in legend, and the story starts in Rome, with one of the most famous tales of the ancient world.
According to myth, the twins Romulus and Remus were raised by a she-wolf and later set out to found a new city together. Their partnership did not last. A conflict broke out between them, Romulus killed his brother, and went on to become the ruler of Rome — the city that, according to tradition, took its name from him.
Sienese legend says that Remus left behind two sons: Senius and Aschius. Fearing their uncle Romulus, the brothers fled Rome and headed north. After a long journey, they reached the hills of Tuscany, where they were said to have founded a new city.
The name Siena is traditionally linked to Senius. The brothers were also said to have brought with them the symbol of their family — the she-wolf nursing the twins. That is why the Roman she-wolf appears all over Siena: on columns, façades, inside palaces, and in city decorations. By adopting this symbol of Rome, Siena emphasized its legendary Roman roots and gave itself an ancient and prestigious origin.
The real beginnings of Siena are more complex. The area was already inhabited in Etruscan times and later came under Roman influence. But the story of the sons of Remus became such an important part of the city’s identity that you can still see traces of it almost everywhere you walk.
The Republic of Siena – a small city with great power
During the Middle Ages, Siena became an independent republic and one of the wealthiest cities in Italy.
Its strength came from trade, banking, and its location along important travel routes, especially the Via Francigena, used by pilgrims, merchants, and travelers on their way to Rome.
Siena reached its golden age in the 13th and early 14th centuries, especially during the rule of the Council of Nine. This was the period when Piazza del Campo took shape, Palazzo Pubblico was expanded, and many of the works of art we now associate with Siena’s greatest era were created.
Siena versus Florence
For centuries, Siena and Florence competed for trade, political influence, and control of Tuscany. Siena was traditionally associated with the Ghibellines, while Florence supported the Guelphs.
Siena’s greatest military triumph came at the Battle of Montaperti in 1260, when its forces defeated a much larger Florentine army.
According to tradition, before the battle the people of Siena placed their city under the protection of the Virgin Mary. After the victory, devotion to the Madonna became even more closely tied to Siena’s identity.
By the 16th century, the long rivalry was entering its final chapter. After a lengthy siege, Siena fell in 1555 to forces allied with Cosimo I de’ Medici and Emperor Charles V.
But the Republic of Siena did not disappear immediately. Part of the government and many citizens moved to Montalcino, where the republic survived until 1559.
Only then did Siena finally come under Medici rule and become part of their state.
Why does Siena still look so medieval?
Siena’s historic center has preserved an unusually unified layout. The city developed across three hills, and its oldest areas are traditionally divided into three sections, or terzi: Città, Camollia, and San Martino.
The streets follow the ridges of the hills and gradually lead toward Piazza del Campo. This gives Siena its distinctive, almost Y-shaped layout.
The republican government also controlled the appearance of buildings around the city’s most important public spaces. As a result, Piazza del Campo was never overwhelmed by individual palaces competing in size and decoration. Even today, the square feels like one carefully designed whole.
Siena and the rise of European banking
Sienese bankers were active throughout medieval Europe. They financed trade, worked with the papacy, and operated across international markets.
One of the great financial institutions of the 13th century was the Gran Tavola, the bank of the Bonsignori family, which for a time was among the most powerful banking houses in Europe.
Later, in 1472, Monte dei Paschi di Siena was founded. It remains one of the symbols of Siena’s long banking tradition and is widely regarded as the world’s oldest bank still in operation.
Saint Catherine of Siena
Catherine was born in Siena in 1347 into the family of cloth dyer Jacopo Benincasa. She grew up not in a convent, but in the middle of a busy working city.
She became a Dominican tertiary and soon emerged as one of the most remarkable women of the 14th century. A mystic and the author of hundreds of letters, she advised church leaders and powerful figures and wrote directly to popes, cardinals, and rulers.
She is especially remembered for her role in efforts to bring the papacy back from Avignon to Rome. Catherine met Pope Gregory XI and strongly encouraged him to return.
She died in Rome in 1380 at just 33 years old. Today, she is a patron saint of Italy and one of the patron saints of Europe. Her presence can still be felt throughout Siena, from her family home to the Basilica of San Domenico.
Palio – much more than a horse race
Siena has 17 contrade, or historic districts, and each one still has its own identity. Every contrada has its own colors, symbols, traditions, church, and museum — but most importantly, a very strong sense of community. During the Palio, this becomes especially visible. Streets are covered with flags, and the entire city comes alive with rivalry between the districts.
The famous race takes place twice a year, on July 2 and August 16, in Piazza del Campo. Only 10 of the 17 contrade compete in each race. Seven are guaranteed a place because they did not take part in the same Palio the previous year, while three more are chosen by lottery.
The race itself is short but incredibly intense. The horses complete three laps of Piazza del Campo, and the jockeys ride bareback. One of the most unusual rules is that a horse can still win even after losing its jockey. If it crosses the finish line first according to the rules, its contrada can still claim victory.
The Palio in its modern form developed mainly in the 17th century, although Siena’s tradition of races and public competitions goes back much further.
And while the Palio now attracts thousands of visitors, it was never created for tourists. For the people of Siena’s contrade, it is part of their family and neighborhood identity, passed down from one generation to the next.
The color that took its name from Siena
The name sienna is no coincidence. Around Siena, natural earth and clay rich in iron compounds was traditionally collected for its warm yellow-brown color. Once cleaned and ground, it could be used as a painting pigment — what we now call raw sienna.
When the same earth was heated, its color became deeper, darker, and more reddish-brown. This produced burnt sienna.
Artists have used these pigments for centuries, and their names come directly from Siena. Just look at the city’s brick rooftops, warm-colored walls, and the earth of the Tuscan countryside, and it is easy to see why the connection has lasted so long.
