Heritage of Salento
The prehistoric origins
The Map of Soleto studies and research undertaken in recent years have revealed how the Salento area was already inhabited in the Paleolithic medium. In many caves due to the calcareous nature of the area, were found flint tools. Probably it was ominidi species belonging to the man of Neanderthal, while that of homo sapiens sapiens had spread in the Palaeolithic period.
An important archaeological discovery concerning statues found in Bone Cave at Parabita Veneri, demonstrating the existence, already 20,000 years ago, relating to fertility cults. Another remarkable testimony of prehistoric Salentine is represented by Delia, un'ominide female discovered in Ostuni. The importance of Delia is dictated by the fact that she kept in her womb the remains of a fetus in the terminal stage, thus becoming the oldest mother in the history of where you keep the remains. These remains represent the first of which is consanguineous has traces of the Palaeolithic and the entire human history.
The presence of men in Salento during the Palaeolithic and the Neolithic is also documented with interesting graffiti, paint, tools, animals and human remains, which are also found in the caves of the peninsula. Certainly significant in quality and quantity are the graffiti and etchings of the Grotta Romanelli, at Castro, and the Grotta dei Cervi at Porto Badisco. A Roca Vecchia also found an impressive system of fortifications dating back to the Bronze Age (XV-XI centuries BC). In the same area is another important archaeological site: the Poetry of the cave, discovered in 1983, it spread over a circular area of 600 square meters. and bears numerous votive inscriptions, sometimes overlapping, of different epochs and civilizations, which date from the VIII century BC-II
Other important witnesses are represented by ancestral some megalithic constructions in the territory, such as dolmens, menhirs and mirrors, which in later centuries were devoted to the cult of Christianity.
The pre-Roman
For more, see the entries Messapi, Illyrians and Magna Grecia.
Antique map of Salento Columns Doric Columns in Taranto posed at the end of the Via Appia in Brindisi The Roman amphitheater of LecceLa Salento peninsula, the ancient Greeks called Messapia (ie "land between two seas") was inhabited by Messapi, population Illyrian origin or Aegean-Anatolian. Major cities, now remember how dodecapoli messapica for assimilizione with dodecapoli etrusca, were in fact at least 13: Alytia (Alezio), Ozan (Ugento), Brention / Brentesion (Brindisi), Hyretum / Veretum (Vereto), Hodrum / Idruntum ( Otranto), Kaili (Ceglie Messapica) Manduria, Mesan (Mesagne), Neriton (Nardò), Orra (Oria) Cavallino (there were no definite information of the old name), Thur Sallentina (Roca Vecchia) and, to the northern limits of peninsula, the important city of Egnatia.
The pre-Roman history of Salento is the story of the rivalry between the people and messapica Tarantino, narrated by Herodotus, when told of the extermination of the armies of Tarentine and Reggini occurred in 473 BC by the alliance concluded between Messapi and Lucani. The people defending it messapica its autonomy from the expansionist aims of the Greek city of Taras, whose foundation is traditionally dated 706 BC, following the transfer of some settlers in this area Spartans need for expansion or for matters.
In the fifth century a.C. Taras lived the period of greatest prosperity during the rule of seven Archit, which marked the culmination of the development and recognition of a political superiority over the other colonies in southern Italy. Goes back to that period of employment on which the future will rise Gallipoli: the Tarantini they made a commercial airport. The polis of Taranto had mixed relations with its neighbors Messapi, relationships that often culminate in real battles, the historic 473 BC as Herodotus tells us: "this was the largest massacre of Greeks and Reggini we know that the 3000 soldiers died Reggini and Tarantini could not even count the number." The event had a strong echo in the world greek so much so that Aristotle states that the event "happened a little 'after the Persians invaded Greece.
Messapi that were valiant warriors Thucydides in the stands a few passages of his History (VII, 33) during the Peloponnesian War when Athens decided to make an expedition against Syracuse. The Athenian general crossed the Ionian islands and landed Cheradi (perhaps in front of Porto Cesareo), to take 150 of javelin throwers Messapi provided by a powerful local leader "Arta", which was allied with Athens against Sparta and then Taranto, founded and populated by Spartans.
Another famous incident is the one who wants the grant to the Taranto Archidamo Spartan III, which then find death under the walls of the city of messapica Manduria. Just the war between the secular and Taranto Messapi would later partially favored the Roman conquest of the Salento.
The Roman period
For more, see the entries Roman History, History of Taranto and II Regio Calabria and Apulia.
In the third century a.C. Taranto, proud of its Greek origin, who tried to impede the expansionist intentions of Roma in southern and shook an alliance with Pyrrhus, King dell'Epiro and grandson of Alexander the Great. The clashes between the Romans and Epirei began in 280 BC, and were always hard and costly in terms of human lives. With the withdrawal epiriota given by the defeat of Maleventum the Tarantini then called a Carthaginian fleet in support, to help them get rid of the garrison left by Pirro. In response the city was handed over to the Roman consul Lucius Papiro Cursor, Taranto, and so fell into the power of the Romans in 272 BC. Became a Roman garrison, the city was cited by many classic authors as a place of entertainment of the Roman youth.
For all the cities of Salento was preparing to conquer the Romans, which ended around 260 BC, which soon became aware of the strategic position of Salento that, with the port of Brindisi, was the way to the conquest of the Balkans and Greece. With the Roman conquest, which took place between 269 a.C. and 267 BC, Lecce its Latin name Lupiae, from Militum statio station (military) to municipium (community affiliated with Rome). The city experienced a period of great magnificence, under the guidance dell'Imperatore Marcus Aurelius. The town then moved about 3 km north-east and took the name of high school or litium. The city flourished in the new era Hadrianic and was enriched with a theater and an amphitheater and connected to the Port Adriano (now San Cataldo).
Brindisi, around 240 BC, was elevated to the rank of City Hall and Brindisi was recognized the prestigious Roman citizenship. The city became a port adriatica trafficatissimo and caposcalo for the East and Greece, in fact many illustrious Romans passed through Brindisi, conducted in Greece. Cicero wrote "Letters Brindisini" and Marco Pacuvio created some of his tragedies, in Brindisi Virgil died while returning from a trip to Greece.
Salento is Latin so as to contribute to the emergence of Latin American literature with prominent figures such as Livius Andronicus, and Marco Quinto Ennio Pacuvio. This process was long and laborious, and even though under the aegis of Rome, Taranto Messapia and still not lost their importance and their total autonomy. Roman rule favored the implementation of major infrastructure and public works, which entail a radical transformation of the landscape Salentine and a complete restructuring of urban centers. It was built the Via Appia, which, from Taranto Oria and ended in front of the port of Brindisi, the end of Queen Viarum was marked by two massive columns. Brindisi also departed from the path of Trajan, which passed by Egnazia (town that marked the boundary of the territory Messapian and the beginning of the peuceta), Bari, Ruvo and Canosa, and then reconnect to the Via Appia near Benevento.
A demonstration of the differences now between the north of Apulia and Puglia in the south, the Romans distinguished Regio II in Apulia and Calabria and the Calabria and Apulia (now Salento), ie, two contiguous and the like but with the appropriate political and cultural differences. The Apulia was the area inhabited by populations of Peucezi and Dauni, while Calabria was the area formed by Messapia and Taranto.
Alto Medioevo
For more, see the entries Lombards, Byzantines and II Regio Calabria and Apulia.
The Greeks Limitone
There have been numerous historical and archaeological research aimed at the so-called "Limitone the Greeks", but there was still no result in appreciable merit.
The difficulties are to be found in the fact that the boundaries between domains and Longobards Byzantines were always unstable. Moreover, it is very likely that it was actually a ditch with the rear embankment, rather than a real wall, a formal border, fortified where necessary, and where in times of peace could have an exchange between the Lombards and Byzantines.
This boundary should start from the Adriatic coast south of Brindisi (Otranto perhaps) and go south from Francavilla Fontana, and then fall back even more in the territory south of the Sava. An area of particular interest might be the one that runs along the Sava-Oria, where recent studies have also highlighted some of the remains of that wall.
Starting from the sixth century Otranto began to grow in importance and become the main bridge to the East, replacing in Brindisi who lost their centrality compared to the Roman period. Salento was particularly impressed during the war greek-Gothic (535 - 553), commissioned by the East of Justinian to reconquer the western lands once belonged to Rome in Salento and Sicily is said to Byzantine domination.
Salento experienced a difficult economic recovery in post-war, who took particular aim at the major urban centers, while the Byzantines with their language, customs and religion approached these territories to the greek culture and Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, the Lombards, although to date no one knows the ways and times, conquered Italy and northern Bruttium with more raids in the south. In the first half of VII century the Lombards came just to the south dell'Ofanto, further advanced until the threshold messapica came later with Romuald I.
The Salento peninsula became, therefore, a land border between the Lombards and Byzantines. The latter, around the seventh century, founded the Duchy of Calabria, the region of aggregating Bruzio (now Calabria) to the lands that already had in Salento. It was on this occasion that the name came to designate Calabria today's Calabria region, while the Salento was gradually conquered by the Lombards who ended up taking the capital of the duchy, Otranto.
In 757, during the period when the Lombards and Byzantines signed peace and they divided the territory, the city was returned to the Emperor idruntina together with the southern part of Salento, but now the name of transmigration Calabria was accomplished.
Along the border agreed the Byzantines built a wall, tramandatoci with the name of Limitone (or Paretone) Greek, a preservation of what was now designated simply as the territory of Otranto. The Byzantines favored the immigration of the Greeks, especially in the south of the Salento, to repopulate an area considered strategic. The traces of that migration still survive on the Greek language Salentine, where they speak a language directly related to the greek. The territories salentini posts north of the confluence Limitone hand in Langobardia Minor.
Middle Ages
For more, see the entries Saracens, Agareni, Normans, feudalism, and Swabians Angevins.
The Altavilla
Altavilla was that of the royal dynasty who worked the political unification of southern Italy, (including Sicily). The work begun by the sons of Tancredi (the family), Robert Guiscard and Roger I, was completed by Roger II in 1130. The Altavilla reigned supreme on the southern territories for over half a century after that, in 1194, they followed the Swabians.
The last of Altavilla, Constance married the German Emperor Henry VI of Hohenstaufen and their son Frederick II inherited the Norman kingdom, ensuring a long the new territorial continuity that had formed Altavilla.
Between IX and X century Salento had to endure the assaults of the Saracens, who were able to settle a splash of leopard on the territory for periods of varying length, fiercely opposed by the Byzantines, who by Basil I in the meantime had pulled to the Longobards Puglia was introduced on the Longobardia Thema. Often, however, the Byzantine rulers put themselves at the head of a city on a general or a man of confidence Lombard, once evidence of a situation not very clear.
In 927 the Muslims destroyed many cities such as Taranto, which was rebuilt after only forty years, thanks to the Emperor Phocas Byzantine Niceforo II. In 977 Oria was devastated by the Muslims (Agareni calls them the Lupo Protospata reporter who speaks to thousands of deportees, including many distinguished Jews). Despite this, the ninth and tenth century are to be considered for centuries the flowering of Salento, in particular the Jewish community. Prime among those Oria and Otranto, who contributed with their businesses and their science the rise of these cities. In particular, historical sources report a major school of medicine and to Qabbalah Oria, where lived the famous jew Shabbataj Ben Abbraham weasels.
By the Byzantines to the Normans
For more, see the entries Normanni, the County of Lecce and the Principality of Taranto.
Following the Norman conquest were founded around 1055, the County of Lecce, who gave birth to King Norman Tancredi d'Altavilla, Nardò County, the County Soleto and in 1088 the Principality of Taranto.
The Normans implement several policy reforms, organizing an effective feudal state, and occupied the fortification of the territory by building motte, ie embankments having a tower on top of warning and defense. In the territory of Nardò are still today the remains of the so-called motta Specchia Torricella. The prosperity achieved by the Salento during the Norman domination is still noticeable by the artistic legacies, including the famous mosaic floor of the Cathedral of Otranto and the Monastery of San Nicola di Casole.
Ancient map of the Earth OtrantoCon the extinction of the Norman royal family and the marriage between the last descendant of the Altavilla family Constance and Henry VI of Swabia was the subsequent advent of the Swabians. Salento area became an important hunting and Swabians are also interested in the restructuring of the fortifications, in a manner different than the rest of Puglia. An example, albeit largely restructured, the architecture of the period is the Swabian Castle of Oria, which was expanded by Frederick II. Other structure likely to be reported to the Swabian period could be the tower Leverano. Since the first Crusades, Brindisi became the main board to the East for many knights and pilgrims in the Holy Land. The same Federico II, that on 9 November 1221 in the Cathedral of Brindisi had married Isabella (or Jolanda) of Brienne, heir to the crown of Jerusalem, in 1228 departed from the port for the Sixth brindisino crusade he commanded.
By the Swabians Angevins
For more, see the entries Lecce County, Principality of Taranto, Orsini Del Balzo, Swabians and Angevins.
ManfrediNel coronation of 1266, the last ruler of Swabian origin Manfredi, son of Frederick II, died fighting in the battle of Benevento against Charles of Anjou, Lord of a Provenza sent down in southern Italy by Pope Clement IV. The new ruler, founder of the Angevin dynasty, was accompanied by a cloud of horsemen Provençal that within a few years replaced the old feudal Norman-Swabian. The latter, not enduring to be deprived of their fiefs, invoking the aid of the Aragonese king, related to the deceased king Manfredi.
Thus begins an interminable quarrel between Angevins (of French origin) and the Aragonese (Spanish origin). Taking advantage of what took over the barons, small absolute sovereign fiefdoms more or less extensive, who built great castles and threatening the people by reducing poverty.
In 1384, under the Angevins, Prince of Taranto Raimondo Orsini Del Balzo - on marriage with the countess of Lecce Maria d'Enghien - became one of the most rich and powerful feudal lords of the kingdom. At his death in 1406, King Ladislaus of Naples came in arms under the walls of Taranto to claim possession, but Maria d'Enghien, the widow of Raymond, the rejected twice. At the end Ladislaus propose to marry the countess obtained through diplomatic channels that failed to win by force. Ladislaus died August 6 1414, Maria d'Enghien in 1415 came in possession of the County of Lecce riottenne and in 1420 the Principality of Taranto for his son Giovanni Antonio.
To her it must be the reorganization of economic activities and administrative provisions of the city of Lecce, with the enactment on 14 July 1445 of Statuta florentissimae civitatis et capitulo Litii.
Aragonesi from the unification of Italy
For more, see the entries Battle of Otranto, the Bourbons, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and landowners.
Dead Giovanni Antonio Orsini Del Balzo in 1463, Ferrante d'Aragona, since the city had become owned, Lecce and grants its citizens a number of benefits: it becomes the center of the most important public offices and courts that had jurisdiction over the land of 'Otranto and Matera. Following the conspiracy of the Barons in 1486-1487 are deleted all the great feudal lords of the Kingdom (including Peter Del Balzo Duke of Andria and Altamura, Del Balzo Agilberto count of Nardò, Copertino, Tricase, Castro and Ugento) and assigned to various counties of the Aragonese allies with the exception of Lecce, Brindisi, Taranto, Otranto and Gallipoli which depend directly from the crown by a governor.
Soleto County (later Duchy of Galatina) John Castriota Scanderbeg
County Nardò (later duchy) to Belisario Acquaviva son of Giulio Antonio Acquaviva, Count of Conversano, who died in the Battle of Otranto in 1481
County Conversano (with nuts, Castellana, Bitetto and Gioia del Colle) to another son of Giulio Antonio Acquaviva, Andrea Matteo Acquaviva
Castro County and Ugento Francis Del Balzo
County Copertino (with vigils, and Leverano Galatone) to Bernardo Kastrioti Granai
County Alessano and Tricase (with Specchia, Patu, Castrignano, Montesano, Neviano, Melissano) Giovan Francesco Del Balzo.
From the fifteenth century had particular luck business: Lecce in particular housed within its walls influential community of merchants Venetians, Genoese, Dubrovnik, etc.. The Venetians created in Lecce in the county and their colony and their Church at the Market Square (now Sant'Oronzo), where exercising their industries and their trade. Since 1543, the Venetian colony was so prosperous that built on his church Lecce, the lion of San Marco. The Venetians also built their palaces, among them all, you remember "The Seat" (1592), currently located in Piazza Sant'Oronzo.
In 1480, during the Aragonese, Otranto was besieged and invaded by the Turks led by Ahmet Pasha, who led the slaughter of 800 people who refused to convert to Islam. This was the most striking episode in a long series of assaults and Turkish pirates, who were particularly intense in the sixteenth century.
To guard against these Charles V conceived the construction of an uninterrupted series of fortified coastal towers (almost all are still visible today along the coast from San Cataldo Salentine in Porto Cesareo), which mounted guard day and night patrols of soldiers who reported visually ( during the day with colorful flags and fireworks at night-time) the approach of Turkish fleets. The same Charles V built the fortified town of Acaja and the great castle of Lecce. During the same period, gave the green light to the construction of many religious structures. Began as a thriving artistic activity between XVI and XVIII century, made of Lecce is one of the most significant of the baroque. During the Spanish city - high by Charles V to the rank of capital of Puglia - was transformed into a real open-air yard, for the many civil and religious individuals, clergy and congregations of the church allowed built in a crescendo of works from the most beautiful and important.
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the economic situation of Taranto is inevitably exacerbated the Ionian city was not a more important military base, and the stagnant fishing and shellfish, and agricultural activities in the hands of the nobility and clergy, determined a serious economic crisis that culminated nell'insurrezione popular in 1647. In conjunction with the motion of Naples, King Philip IV alleged recruitment of young people around 18 years. Then broke out in Taranto a popular uprising led by Giandonato Altamura, sedata thanks to the intervention of the Duke Francesco II Caracciolo di Martina Franca. Lecce and Nardò also rose with the help of noble filoangioini but the revolt was nipped in the blood with the military intervention of the Duke and diConversano Nardò, Giangirolamo Acquaviva advantage that this opportunity was to eliminate political opponents and many many priests.
From the second half of the century, Spain began to show more interest in its colonies of Central and Southern OBTAINED from which gold and silver, rather than leaving out of the Mediterranean.
A terrible plague epidemic of the deadly Kingdom of Naples in 1656. The victims were thousands everywhere, but the province of Terra d'Otranto was miraculously spared. The people escaped the danger attributed to the intercession of Sant'Oronzo, who was then proclaimed patron of this and the Lecce province. At that time the city of Brindisi Lecce donated to one of two Roman columns that mark the end of the Via Appia, so on it was placed the statue of Sant'Oronzo, in the piazza of Lecce.
By the Aragonese to Bourbon
Bourbon domination began in 1734 by King Charles III, who soon came to the throne of Spain and then with Ferdinand IV. There was a period of economic growth through the construction of new roads and development of ports.
A breath of fresh air was brought by Gioacchino Murat brother of Napoleon and recovery occurred principally during the Napoleonic period (1806-1815) thanks to important measures as the abolition of feudalism, the restructuring of large estate and a more adequate distribution of public lands. The abolition of feudalism is not meant the end of the nobility, who continued to boss for much of the nineteenth century, even after the shipment of the Thousand and the Unification of Italy.
Map of the nineteenth century the Kingdom of the Two SicilieCon the Restoration and the return of the Bourbons, took off the phenomenon of brigandage. Moreover, the Salento was concerned by the spread of ideas Risorgimento which translated into the creation of various secret societies such as Carbonarist. In this period, from an economic point of view, the high Salento experienced a major agricultural development, low Salento predominated in the olive grove and in the central-southern cereals. Agriculture, however, had lower yields than the average pugliese. In the north of the Terra d'Otranto, the population began to hear a shooting digital and the most important (Taranto and Brindisi) began to expand for military and administrative reasons. Salento but still could not redeem the marginalization and, despite the crisis of feudalism, remained important inertias barons.
When in 1860 King Francis II of the Two Sicilies fell under the impetus Garibaldi, Salento was annexed to the kingdom of Italy and the law of 20 March 1865 he obtained administrative autonomy with the creation of the province of Lecce, which traces the boundaries of 'Ancient Land of Otranto. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, became the Brindisi terminal European Valigia Indies, building thriving businesses.
Living in Salento
Living conditions of the population Salentine were those who had lived for centuries in a state of feudal servitude, or under a foreign domination.
A narrow circle of nobles impoverished and increasingly overloaded with debt and interminable legal disputes, forced to sell land, buildings and even furniture, paintings and tableware in order to survive.
A large number of religious (priests, monks, nuns) who occupied the numerous convents (at least one in each country) and treated in their annuities. This was a way for many young people forced Volvo escape a life of hardship. The laborers were the most active population and worked from sunrise to sunset only in the summer and autumn. To get to work often had to walk long stretches of the road and used hoes with short handles that the deformed spine. It had a piece of barley bread and a dish of vegetables in the evening. The children were soon started to work: leading the sheep to pasture, were helping to tilling the land and collect the fruit. There were no public schools and existing ones were run by priests or monks, and were reserved for children of wealthy families. The infant mortality was appalling. The craft was prosperous (carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, shoemakers, tailors) and products were exhibited at fairs and weekly markets in the country. Many excellent and the stonemasons who worked Lecce stone leaving their anonymous contribution on the facades of churches and palaces. Illiteracy in Salento exceeded 90%. The professionals (notaries, doctors) were very few and belonged to noble families or large landowners.
The twentieth century
For more, see the entries Economics of Taranto, southern issue and Cassa del Mezzogiorno.
With the government of Giovanni Giolitti was built the mammoth Apulian Aqueduct, the largest aqueduct in Europe, which allowed the whole of Puglia remedy the historical problem of the scarcity of water. Work began in 1906, when some members of Puglia had obtained the creation of a commission to study, which followed the funding and the expectations of the work granted by an international competition. The project was made possible by substantial financial resources (125 million pounds of the time) and materials, although there are those who predict the irrealizzabilità thereof. It was inaugurated in 1914, but was actually only completed in 1939.
Dell'Arsenale headquarters of the Navy in Taranto (1922) During the Great War Brindisi contributed significantly in the development of the war, with the scale and security of its port. Mechanical industries in the area, along all'Arsenale Militare Marittimo di Taranto worked at frenetic pace.
The first post-war period was marked by bitter struggles between social landlords and peasants. In several countries of Salento there were strikes, occupations of land and turmoil, to quell which the police often resorted to arms. The most striking incident, known as "the slaughter of Parabita", took place June 21 1920 in Parabita, where several demonstrators were killed during the clashes with the Royal Carabinieri.
With the advent of fascism, were established the two new provinces, the province of Taranto by Decree of 2 September 1923 n.1911, and the Brindisi with the Law of 22 December 1927, but the administrative and cultural hegemony of Lecce, however, continued in practice due to the presence in the city the only seat of the Tribunal and the only University in the area. During the two decades, despite the disastrous end of the regime, in Salento rural settlements were made to improve the yield of land were rehabilitated malarial and swampy areas on the coast is ionic (Remediation of Land of Arne) is on the Adriatic, schools were built trained teachers, made some institutional buildings and other important infrastructure.
During the second world war, the port of Taranto was the scene of the notorious "Night of Taranto. After the removal of Mussolini and the armistice, the royal family and Badoglio government moved to Brindisi, which then became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy from the 10th of September 1943 until 11 February 1944 (the date on which the provisional capital was transferred to Salerno).
The dramatic economic conditions following the Second World War has caused a revival of the struggles of the peasant movement (as with the agrarian reform of the'50s managed to get the distribution to workers of large Arne) and a massive emigration to the industrial cities of northern Italy .
In the early sixties Salento you gave the major industrial plants. A Brindisi was built a large petrochemical industry that was added to the aircraft and engineering companies, providing employment opportunities for technicians and workers from the territories and provinces and regions. A Taranto nel 1965 venne inaugurato il "IV Centro Siderurgico Italsider", uno dei maggiori complessi industriali per la lavorazione dell'acciaio in Europa.
Attualmente il territorio del Salento conosce un processo di terziarizzazione dell'economia e punta sullo sviluppo e la commercializzazione di prodotti locali di qualità, nonché sull'uso delle peculiarità del territorio in funzione del turismo, grazie anche al rinnovato interesse per le caratteristiche culturali ed enogastronomiche insieme alle bellezze paesaggistiche e balneari.
