Marecchia
Encyclopedia
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in eastern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In ancient times it was known as the Ariminus which was from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
Ariminos, Αριμινος (which is also the ancient name of Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
). The source of the river is east of Pieve Santo Stefano
Pieve Santo Stefano
Pieve Santo Stefano is a comune in the Province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 70 km east of Florence and about 25 km northeast of Arezzo....
and southwest of Badia Tedalda
Badia Tedalda
Badia Tedalda is a comune in the Province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 80 km east of Florence and about 35 km northeast of Arezzo....
in the province of Arezzo
Province of Arezzo
The Province of Arezzo or Arretium is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Arezzo.It has an area of 3,232 km², and a total population of 323,288 in 39 comuni . At June 30, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :...
in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
. It flows northeast into the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
and is the only river that runs through Montefeltro
Montefeltro
thumb|Coat of Arms of the Montefeltro family.Montefeltro is the name of an historical Italian family who ruled Urbino and Rimini.The family's reign began in 1267 when Buonconte I da Montefeltro was elected podestà of Urbino...
. The river then flows past Novafeltria
Novafeltria
Novafeltria is a comune in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna.-Geography:The town is located about 130 km southeast of Bologna and about 30 km south of Rimini. It is the main center of the Montefeltro traditional region. It is located on the Marecchia...
before crossing into the province of Rimini
Province of Rimini
The Province of Rimini is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Rimini. It borders the state of San Marino.-History:...
in Emilia–Romagna. At Torello, part of the commune of San Leo
San Leo
San Leo is a comune in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 135 km southeast of Bologna and about 35 km southwest of Rimini.-Geography:...
, it flows 1 km west of the Sammarinese territory Acquaviva and the San Marino River flows into it, but the Marecchia does not touch the San Marino
San Marino
San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...
border. Finally, the river flows past Verucchio
Verucchio
Verucchio is a comune in the province of Rimini, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It has a population of c. 9,300 and is located at 18 km from Rimini, on a spur overlooking the valley of the Marecchia river.-History:...
before flowing into the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
near Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
.
While on his way to fight the Gothic army
Battle of Taginae
At the Battle of Taginae in June/July 552, the forces of the Byzantine Empire under Narses broke the power of the Ostrogoths in Italy, and paved the way for the temporary Byzantine reconquest of the Italian Peninsula.From as early as 549 the Emperor Justinian I had planned to dispatch a major army...
, the Byzantine general Narses
Narses
Narses was, with Belisarius, one of the great generals in the service of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I during the "Reconquest" that took place during Justinian's reign....
crossed the Marecchia on a pontoon after the leader of the Goths contesting his passage of the river was killed in a skirmish.