Panoramic Engraving of Ecija. Civitates Orbis Terrarum. 1572 A.D.

The Origins: Pre- and Protohistory
Ecija’s History is as broad as its artistic richness.
This town’s foundation is placed ca the VIIIth BC, within Tartessian civilization.
Until Roman conquer, ca 200 BC, it was probably a small Turdetano village of huts located on the slight rise next to the Genil river, nowadays known as Alcazar or San Gil Hill, “The Riding School” (in Spanish Cerro del Alcazar or de San Gil, “El Picadero”).

The Roman Period Splendour
The town had its highest splendour period under Roman rule; it took part in favour of Julius Caesar during the Civil Wars against  Pompey. Ca year 14 BC the so called “Colonia Augusta Firma Astigi”, was founded on the plain, a large town with a new plan, its streets paved and reticule-drawn, it had sewers and a water distribution network, a forum, temples, baths and an amphitheatre next to a bridge that allowed the Via Augusta cross over the river Genil.  
Since then it became the capital of a very broad convent, one of the four in which the Baetica region was divided by Rome; this convent included no less than 49 towns and comprised great part of today’s provinces of Cordova, Granada and Jaen.
Its main wealth derived from olive crops and long distance export of olive oil by river (Genil and Guadalquivir) and afterwards by sea from Seville.

After Rome. Ecija in al-Andalus
The town was still an important cultural and religious centre when Rome fell; during the Visigoth period it became a bishopric and during the Islamic rule, Istiŷa (or Astiŷa) was the province capital during the caliphate and emirate periods. 
Arab chroniclers emphasised its territories fertility and richness, where an important Berber settlement took place.
Muslim people introduced water crops, including the cotton crop, which gave Ecija the nickname of Madînat al-qutn (“the town of cotton”).

Late Middle Ages and Modern Age: Ecija in Castilian Crown
On May 1240 Ecija was conquered by Fernando III and distributed among new Castilian settlers, including many noblemen, military orders and the Church.
 The great landowning movement that has marked all the following periods (i.e., Late Middle and Modern Ages) started to a large extent from this feudal distribution of land and its development along the Modern period.

Baroque Ecija: “The Ecijan Golden Century”
During the whole XVIIIth century, considered the “Ecijan Golden Century”, the town underwent splendorous civil and religious buildings linked to the concentration of ecclesiastical and aristocratic properties and power – we have to remember that at this period there were in the town 40 nobility titles, 13 of them Grandees of Spain.
Ecija’s historic centre preserves one of the best Baroque architectural and artistic legacies of Andalusia and probably of all the Iberian Peninsula: the palaces, churches (with the towers that have made the town famous), convents, public buildings and house-palaces together with their rich goods and chattels and ample documentary archives make up an exceptional historical legacy. 

Ecija’s Titles
In 1402 Enrique III awarded the title of “town” to Ecija.
Royal favours went on: Carlos I added the title of “Muy leal”  (Very Loyal) to the one of “Muy noble” (Very Noble) held previously by the town.
Felipe V awards the appointment as  “Constante, leal y fidelísima” (Constant, Loyal and Very Faithful) in 1710.
In 1880 Alfonso XII awards the town Council the address of “Excelentísimo”.
Still in the XXth century, Ecija receives in 1966 a new title, equally or more deserved than the former ones:  “Conjunto histórico-artístico” (Site of Historical and Artistic Interest).