The discovery, in 1444, of the so-called "Tabulae Iguvinae" ["bronze plates"], which were expertly illustrated by Giacomo Devoto, was essential for the interpretation of ancient Gubbio, which the Romans called "Iguvium". The "Tabulae" offered some important data from a historical, religious and linguistic point of view. Meanwhile, one of the problems that arose was whether, with regard to the ancient Gubbio, it is permissible to speak of a "city", or simply of a "fortress". Supporters of Gubbio as "city" base their claims by referring to the "gates" of ancient urban structure. Scholars unfavourable rightly have pointed out that the reference to "gates" is not sufficient to identify Gubbio as a city, because the old "Arx" ("Fortress"), of course, had its gates, which, indeed, are constitutive of a castle.

The linguistic data from the study of "Tabulae" showed some important things; namely that the language of them is Indo-European, and that the "Osco-Umbrian" is the basic language, next to which there are the Latin and Greek, modified according to the linguistic needs of Umbrian. The differences between Latin and Osco-Umbrian, in some cases, as we will be seen by some simple examples, were not very large: “patere” (Osco-Umbrian),"pater" (Latin) “father”; “matere” "mater," "mother." G. Devoto also mentioned a curious phrase, which we quote for this reason: "[...] Rubine porca trif sofa [...]", a phrase translated by G. Devoto as "three red young female pigs" (See G. Devoto, “Il Linguaggio d'Italia” ["The Language of Italy], Milan, Rizzoli, 1974, pp. 59-62). We observe that the "Tabulae" are important for the study of ancient gods of Gubbio, an issue which concerns most of the interest of scholars, because, in fact, the "Tabulae" make explicit reference to some local cults.

Despite the progress of studies, the question of the city etymology remains very uncertain. Starting with the oldest hypothesis, we quote that of Luigi Lanzi, according to whom "Iguvium" had its roots in "Vicu Juvu," which he translates as "pagus" ("village") "Giovio", with reference to a tribe  “Jovia”: "[...] That 'Vicus' or 'pagus' is called 'Giovio' as near Capua “pagus Jovius” ... Several villages could also be called in a different way , but all refer to the "Tribe Giovia", and, therefore, with this generic term, they were called “Vici Jovii”; so, the inhabitants were called “Vicijovini”, and, in their language," Icuvini " , and they called their city "Icuvium" [...]" (See Luigi Lanzi, “Saggio di lingua etrusca” ["An Essay about the Etruscan Language"], Rome, 1789, p. 648). Another more recent etymology is that proposed by G.B. Pellegrini, for whom the city derives from “P-ikuvium”, with subsequent loss of starting “P”, from which “Ikuvium” derives, which is considered the antecedent of  Latin word “Iguvium”. In this case, the name means "the city" or "the woodpecker tribe" (See G.B. Pellegrini, “Toponimi ed etnici nelle lingue dell’Italia antica” ["Place-Names and Ethnic Languages of Ancient Italy"], in “Popoli e civiltà nell’Italia antica. VI. Lingue e dialetti” [“Ancient Peoples and Civilizations. VI. Languages and Dialects "], Rome, 1978, pp. 105-106).

A third hypothesis proposes, instead, a Greek root, "Ikonion" ("image"), but the solution appeared unconvincing from the beginning (see M. Guarnacci, “Origini Italiche” ["Origin of Italy”], Rome, 1786, Volume II, pp.164- 165). However, the question, as we see, is still very much open. Turning to historical facts, we can say, according to the archaeological finds,  that settlements in the territory of Gubbio date back to the Paleolithic. From the seventh century BC, "Ikuvium" assumed a considerable importance, as evidenced by the "Tabulae", which, in addition to religious services, offered some information about social and urban layout of the ancient city, provided with walls, in which three gates opened, the "Tessenaca", "Trebulana" and “Vehia”. From the fourth century BC, "Ikuvium" entered within the orbit of Roman rule with the name of “Iguvium”, maintaining friendly relations and alliance with Rome, and receiving the title of “Municipium”.

In Imperial age, "Iguvium" had a remarkable period of building expansion, as seen in several buildings, such as theatre (one of the greatest of its time, which had an auditorium with a diameter of 70 meters and fit for 6,000 spectators), “thermae” and villas of the rich bourgeoisie and nobility of Rome. After the fall of Roman Empire, Gubbio was subjected, like other Italian cities, the barbarian invasions and involvement in the terrible and devastating “Gothic War” (sixth century AD), during which it was destroyed. From the eleventh century, "Eugubium" (this is the name of  city in  Middle Ages) becomes a municipality, with ample privileges granted to it by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa /1122-1190) and Henry VI (1165-1197); in fact, in this century, the townspeople were Ghibellines, supporters of  Emperors policy, although the political situation was, in those days, very confused, with sudden variations  in political allegiances and alliances; in fact, in 1065 and in 1091 Gubbio formed an alliance with the Guelphs of Perugia, Orvieto and Spoleto against the Ghibellines municipalities of Bevagna, Todi, Amelia and Foligno.

The infighting too, in the thirteenth century, were tough, between the nobility and bourgeoisie for control of the City; and, in the fourteenth century (1350), there was an attempt by Giovanni Gabrielli, a member of the nobility, to take over the city (we can still see at Gubbio the “Tower of Gabrielli”, a true Home-Fortress); for many years he resisted all attempts to take away the power, until he had to give Cardinal Albornoz (1310-1367). Since then the city became a domain of the Church State until 1358, when it came under the Lordship of Antonio da Montefeltro (1348-1404). Under the Dukes of Montefeltro, the city had a period of prosperity and development especially in the arts, in conjunction with the Government of Duke Federico da Montefeltro (1422-1482). For his will, in fact, the construction of the Ducal Palace were taken (from 1476), attributed to Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439-1501). In 1508, with the extinction of the Montefeltro, the Ducky of Urbino, which included Gubbio, went to the family of Della Rovere, who ruled it until 1624, when Duke Francesco Maria II (1549-1631), without direct heirs, gave it to the Church. From that moment, Gubbio will remain a domain of the Church State until the Unification of Italy (1861).

Gubbio:  History of Art in the City

In the field of visual arts, Gubbio expressed many personalities of great importance, starting with Oderisi da Gubbio (1240-1299), justly famous for being mentioned in a passage of the Dante Alighieri's (1265-1321) "Divine Comedy" as the most skilful miniaturist of Italy (“Oh!, diss'io lui, non se' tu Oderisi/ l'onor d'Agobbio e l'onor di quell'arte/ ch'alluminar chiamata è in Parisi?”  [  "Oh, I cried out, are you not Oderisi, / Honor of Gubbio, glory of that art/  Which in Paris they call ‘illuminating’?" (“Purgatory ", XI, vv. 79-81). We know that the artist of Gubbio worked in several Italian cities, as Bologna, Rome, and Gubbio (from 1264 to 1265. See Serafino Frefanfelli Cybo, “Niccolò Alunno e la Scuola Umbra” [“Niccolò Alunno and the Umbrian School”], Roma, Barbèra, 1872, p. 12); but, unfortunately, all his work was lost. Among the most illustrious painters of Gubbio, first we mention Guido Palmerucci (1280-1345), who worked in various churches of his city and Ottaviano Nelli (1370 ca.-1445), much active in Gubbio too; they are two painters who were influenced by the Sienese school, especially for the accuracy of the details. Other local artists (XIV century) were Giovanni di Agnolo Danti, Bartolo Di Cristoforo and Cecco Masuri (or Masuzzi) [See Serafino Frefanfelli Cybo, “Niccolò Alunno e la Scuola Umbra”, p. 17) . At the beginning of the fifteenth century, a local artist of considerable ability was Ottaviano di Martino Nelli, who made famous his city by the "Madonna del Belvedere", in the Church of “Santa Maria Nuova”, depicting the "Madonna and Child with Saints." The work has a light bright, strong visual impact.  Other Nelli’s frescoes were discovered in the last century under the plaster of Church of “San Francesco” (XIII century) (the "Judgement").