Bieda is a small town in Italy near Rome. Bieda is an Italian corruption of its ancient name of Blera. It is the birthplace of Pope Sabinianus and Pope Paschal II.
In ancient times, Blera was Etruscan town on the Via Clodia. It was of little importance, and is only mentioned by geographers and in inscriptions. It is situated on a long, narrow tongue of rock at the junction of two deep glens. Some remains of the town walls still exist, and also two ancient bridges, both belonging to the Via Clodia, and many tombs hewn in the rocksmall chambers imitating the architectural forms of houses, with beams and rafters represented in relief. . See G. Dennis, Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria, i. 207. There was another Blera in Apulia, on the road from Venusia to Tarentum.
The Etruscan origins of this town are amÂply documented by the necropolises around the modern-day centre, demonÂstrating the importance and stability achieved by these populations particularly after the eighth century BC.
The La Casetta-Il Terrone necropolis surrounds the residenÂtial area of Blera in a ring-like fashion along the northern slope of the valley of the Canale brook.
Located around Blera (about 6 km along the road to Monteromano and Civitella Cesi) are the ruins of two Etruscan towns from the archaic period.