Orbetello was an ancient Etruscan settlement, which in 280 BC passed under the control of the Romans, who had founded their colony of Cosa (near the modern Ansedonia).

The emperor Domitian had a substantial property here, which had belonged to the Domitii Ahenobarbi and he inherited through his wife Domitia Longina. He also built other sumptuous villas nearby for his courtiers.[1]

In the Middle Ages it was a possession of the Aldobrandeschi family, who held it until the 14th century, when it was acquired by the city of Orvieto. After several struggles with the Orsini of Pitigliano and Orvieto, in the following centuries Orbetello was captured by the Sienese Republic. In the mid-16th century it was part of the State of Presides, a Spanish possession, becoming its capital.

The town was besieged by the French during the 1635-1659 Franco-Spanish War. This led to the inconclusive naval Battle of Orbetello on 14 June; in July, a Spanish army forced the French to lift the siege.[2]

After the fall of the Republic of Siena, when the territory of Siena passed to Tuscany, Philip II of Spain retained Orbetello, Talamone, Monte Argentario and the island of Giannutri until 1713, under the name of the Reali Stati dei Presidii. There remained many Spanish names among the inhabitants of Orbetello. In 1713 this district passed by treaty to the emperor, in 1736 to the king of the two Sicilies, in 1801 to the kingdom of Etruria, and in 1814 to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.[3] It formed part of the Grand Duchy until 1860, when it joined the newly unified Kingdom of Italy.

In 1927–33, Italo Balbo's "air cruises" started from Orbetello's lagoon. During World War II, the German Air Force's 2nd Squadron of Embarked Air Group 196 used the lagoon as a base for its Arado Ar 196 float planes for a brief period in 1943.[4]

^ Blake, M.E., 1959, Roman Construction in Italy from Tiberius through the Flavians , Washington: Carnegie Institute of Washington p 140–1 ^ Black, Jeremy (2002). European Warfare 1494-1660. Routledge. p. 190. ISBN 978-0415275323. ^   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Orbetello". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 164. ^ Kleckers, Axel; Grams, Christian. "Bordfliegergruppe 196". Retrieved 18 May 2016.