Diotto
diotto italian pronunciation djɔtto celebration anniversary founding scarperia held year september name recall date dì day otto mean eight actually founding occurred september decided anniversary date day birth virgin mary celebration historical reenactment made pageant florence scarperia competition called palio designate event prize scarperia founded decision florentine republic administrate defend vast territory north florence slope apennine mountain beginning captain appointed mainly military purpose renaissance figure changed vicar able manage rule growing town every aspect take office celebration held little village primarily tournament tug war arm wrestling show new vicar strength stamen inhabitant postwar era commemoration mutated historical reenactment first costumed entertainment show since palio disputed ward town former comune scarperia since january frazione scarperia e san piero municipality subdivided thirteen rioni ward every team made six player plus nonplayer captain least year old represent rione wear different colour red castel san barnaba white santa croce e fagna blue senni birilli e crocioni yellow rosine black ponzalla purple san gavino e topo green santagata pink san clemente sky blue marcoiano grey cerliano orange poggio savelli burgundy la torre e petrona white green montaccianico since four team take part final qualifier day needed define three rioni join defending champion diotto palio divided five different game giochi di gagliardia always played following order knife throwing brick race tug war bigonce race pole climbing winning game let team score four point second get three third two fourth one team disqualified game score one point team player doesnt want finish game violation serious team score point necessary due tie end fifth game tiebreaker knife throwing determine winner knife throwing player team throw one one six knife towards wooden target distance four meter least trying gather much point knife stuck red smallest circle team get five point yellow medium circle get three point green largest circle one point tip isnt driven wood knife fall rather stuck outside green circle team doesnt score point brick race relay race every player must run brick entire distance field play piazza square follower fourth relay runner finished racer use three brick run plus two backup one replace damaged broken brick runner cannot put foot ground three time heel completed quarter player must restart tug war six component team pull rope hemp fiber beat opponent tape pass line marked ground since sloping square favor one two team regulation provides two round round end tie there deciding match side square set flipping coin ranking drawn two semifinal two final bigonce race fast spectacular relay race six component team four runner two torri tower game getting bigoncia running whole piazza jumping two torri remaining field play help racer get quickly bigoncia wooden slat wine barrel made bottomless shape truncated cone tight size rushing difficult running backwards forbidden safety reason pole climbing challenge divided two heat semifinal final single race drawing pole flipping coin specialist player every team climb wooden pole eight meter tall grab little flag representing cockaigne descend run campmaster waiting middle square give pennant opponent pole greased soaped width height make game dangerous arduous climbing technique considered perilous monkeylike stretched arm chest far pole lead disqualification tiebreaker case two team draw fifth game knife throwing determine winner new tie series three knife thrown one team prevails since scarperia built decision republic florence th century main terra nova new land north city vicar appointed many noble family representing florentine aristocracy traveled reach village nowadays retracing celebration held back pageant corteo storico florence follows incoming vicar escorted armed soldier halberdier culverin conveyor armiger sound drum clarion accompanied gonfaloniere flag thrower sunset outgoing vicar meet incoming one pageant scarperia together reach piazza dei vicari herald describes possession new dignitary rule vicar sworn oath loyalty florence solemn ceremony palio begin various author il palio del diotto palio diotto italian edizioni firenze isbn diotto proloco scarperia italian diotto summary local association arranges organizes event renaissance scarperia english brief history explanation diotto pageant