Foligno, the old "Fulginium", is situated in a fertile valley at the foot of Apennines, near the confluence of Topino and Menotre ( a tributary of  Topino River). The city, remembered by many Roman writers (Cato [234-149 BC], Cicero [106-43 BC], Caesar [100-44 BC] and Pliny the Elder [23-79 AD]), developed significantly only after the Roman conquest. The territory of "Fulginates" (Pliny the Elder) was Romanized from the beginning of the third century BC (295), and, on this subject, a question arose in the past about the site of ancient city, as it was thought that it was just moved farther north, but, apparently, and as indeed some historians have asserted in the eighteenth century, the site seems to be the same. During Roman age Foligno was a Confederate city, before "Municipium" and then "Prefecture", and it had some commercial importance, because it crossed by a branch of the “Via Flaminia”.

Around the etymology of “Fulginium”, the hypothesis are, indeed, not at all converging; in fact, according to L. Iacobilli, "Fulginium" derives from the Latin verb "fulgeo-ere" (" to shine"): "[...] ‘A verbo 'Fulgeo' 'Fulginia', a qua 'Fulginates'’[i.e. “ From the verb 'fulgeo' born 'Fulginia' and from this name ‘Fulginates’”].  ... It was then called by the Italians ‘Foligno’ and it took as badge a golden lily, resplendent in a red field [...]" (See L. Iacobilli, “Discorso della Città di Foligno” [" A Sermon on the city of Foligno], Foligno, Agostino Alterij, 1646, p. 3) . According to Stanislao Bardetti, however, "[...] 'Fulginium' means 'very strong', from 'ful', augmentative particle, and 'Cyne', 'strong', 'powerful' [...]" (See Stanislao Bardetti, “Della Lingua dei Primi Abitatori dell'Italia”  ["About the Language of the First Inhabitants of Italy], Modena, 1772, p. 310). As we can see, the etymology in the eighteenth century was divided between Foligno "shining city" and “powerful city”. Even more recently there is no agreement among scholars, that some derive the name from a noble, "Fulgentius", some from local cult of the goddess "Fulginia", while  G. Semerano writes: "[...] 'Fulginia', 'Fulginea', 'Fulginium': the name of  ancient allocation on a hill, the basis testify to the significance of 'cities of the hill’: accad. 'Abullu'  ( 'district, city gate') and ‘ginum’, ‘ginnum’ ( 'mountain') [...]" (See G. Semerano, “Le Origini della Cultura Europea” ["The Origins of European Culture"], Olschki, 1984 , p. 620). Knowing the reputation and expertise of Professor Semerano, perhaps, his proposal should be taken seriously, because it seems well reasoned.

Turning to other more reliable data, we can say that, after the fall of Roman Empire, Foligno was subject to various invasions, such as those of the Saracens and Hungarians, then the Goths of Odoacer (435-493) and Theodoric (471-526), until it was recovered by the Byzantine Empire. In the sixth century it was conquered by the Lombards, becoming part of the Duchy of Spoleto, where it remained until the end of the twelfth century, when it entered in the Church State. Foligno was occupied in 1235 by Frederick II of Swabia (1194-1250) and his descendants until 1254, when it was back under the dominion of Church State. In the fourteenth century Foligno was the center of struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, and it was also ruled for some years by Anastasi, a Ghibelline family. Around 1305 there was a very bloody fight between the two parties, and Corrado Anastasi, to save his life, had to flee and take refuge in Todi. Since then the Trinci family ruled the city with the title of Vicars of the Pope until 1439, showing themselves, among other things, great patrons, and calling to his Court the best Umbrian artists of the time. From the mid-fifteenth century, Foligno reverted to the Church State until the unification of Italy (1861).