It is believed that San Severo lived in this location, born in the city of Martana around 380 under the pontificate of San Damaso.
The hagiographic tradition narrates, in fact, that Severo, after being created a magister militum by the emperor Valentinian III as a reward for having given him half of a treasure found near Martana and after having founded the church of Santa Maria in Pantano in Massa itself and that of San Fortunato near Montefalco, retired to the Martani Mountains, in a solitary ravine called Varano or Torano, building an oratory in honor of the Virgin, where he died two years later.
At the place of burial a temple was erected to honor his remains which, however, at an unspecified time were transported to the said church of San Fortunato di Montefalco where they still lie today.
Near the church erected in honor of San Severo a settlement soon grew up; the name of the place would indicate an ancient barbaric territorial division, together with that of the nearby Terzo La Pieve.
It was part of the Terre Arnolfe, but became, since ancient times, a possession of the Municipality of Spoleto.
The place was fortified around the 14th century, it is found in the list of castles of the ducal city both in 1361 and in 1490.
