It has the appellation "nobile" (noble) because its military companies opened battle at Montaperti, because its people brought water to the Contrada territory (they erected the Pispini fountain in 1534), because they maintained the army of the Republic for six months at their own expense and finally because they held back the "Noveschi" attack who, with the help of the Florentines, tried to enter the city by storming Porta Pispini (one of the gateways of the city) in 1527. On this occasion Francesco Terchi stood at the gateway and beat his sword against it as a sign of challenge. The discipline and military appearance was such that it was distinguished with the name of "La Floridissima" (literally the very florid).
Its Seat is in via dei Pispini. The Patron Saint is San Gaetano of Thiene to whom the Contrada dedicated its Church which it built at its own expense in 1682. Previously the people of the Contrada met in the Church of Saint John the Baptist and then in the Cappella della Compagnia di Santo Stefano.
There are several hypotheses on the origin of the name of the Contrada, one of which is the numerous amount of sea-shells found on its territory which in the Pliocene Age was covered by the sea. Another hypothesis is the evident reference to the valley which is closed in at one end by San Francesco and at the other end by Santo Spirito and Santa Chiara.
The "Società" is called "La Pania" (the trap), attributing to it the power of "liming" - that is making those who visit it "stick" and who for sentimental and gastronomic reasons are not able to break away.