Puglia

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

PVGLIA PIANA, TERRA DI BARRI, TERRA DI Otranto, Calabria, and Basilicata. (Book Puglia)

The other part of the Kingdome of NAPLES. (Book Puglia)

NOw we must view the other part of the Kingdome of Na∣ples, in which the first Country is that which the Italians doe call Puglia Piana, from the large spacious fields there of. It was heretofore called Apulia Daunia. It is bounded on the East with Apulia Peucetia, and the River Aufidus: on the South with the Apennine, together with the Hirpenians, and Samnites: on the West with the Frentanians, Caracenians, now cal∣led Apru•ians, and Phiternians: on the North with the Hadriatick, and Jonium Sea. The soyle is very fruitfull, yeelding abundance of Wheate and Corne. Here are both Citties and Townes, as Manfre∣donia, a faire and populous Citty, being situated on the banke of the Bay, which lyeth in the hollow winding of the Mountaine Garganus, and it hath an invincible Castle by the Shore side. Leuceria is an Epis∣copall Citty; which Ptolemy and Suetonius call Neuceria: the ruines yet remaining doe shew the spaciousnesse of it. Troy is a rich Citty, having a fruitfull Soyle about it. Asculum is a Citty, which is adorned with the Title of a Dukedome: Appianus Alexandrinus cal∣leth it Asculum, it is commonly called Asculo, and surnamed Sattriano. There are also Salpe, or Arpi, which Pliny mentioneth, which was sometime called Argos Hippium, and afterward Agrippa: and two Cit∣ties, which became a Proverb, Apina and Trica, &c. The Rivers are Aufidus, now called l'Ofanto. Also Candilaris, and Cervaria.

So much concerning Apulia Daunia: the next Country which is to be described is Peucetia: now it is called in Italian, Terra Ba•iana, or Terra di Barri, from the chiefe Citty Bario. This Country for fertility of soyle, and plenty of choise fruit, may compare with other parts of Italy. But yet there are some places which are full of Boggs, and Wa∣ters. The chiefe Citty is Barium, which Pliny calleth Barion, it is com∣monly called Barri. It is an ancient Citty, and so faire and populous, that it is the chiefe Citty of the whole Country, which is called from thence Terra •ariana. There are also Monopolis, which is a new Citty adorned with the title of a Marquiship, which is not very great, but faire and beautifull, and full of magnificent Buildings. The soyle round about it yeeldeth great store of Oyle. Polonianum or Polignano is an Episcopall Citty, which although it bee seated on a high stony Rock, yet it is faire and populous. Mola hath many houses, but inha∣bited with rustick people. The Marquesse Polinianus built a Castle there for the defence of the Coast. Iuvenatum, or Giuvenazzo, is an Episcopall Citty, seated in a fertile soyle. Marfette or as some write it, Morfitta, or Melfatta, flourisheth with the Title of a Principality. Vigiliae commonly call'd Bisegli is an Episcopall Towne seated by the shore, on high Rocks: Tranum is an Archiepiscopall Citty▪ common∣ly called •ra•i. It had faire Buildings, but now for the most part it is desolate. There are Woods of Olives and Almonds, which do reach from this Towne even to Tarentum. Barulum is commonly called B•∣l•ta. Ostu•a is a populous Citty, seated on a little Hill. C•lium, or 〈◊〉▪ which Pt•lomy calls Cilia, and Horace Verusia, or Venusium, where 〈◊〉 was borne is now called Venesa. There are also Canusium, 〈◊〉 Biletum, and other Townes.

Next to Apulia we must describe the Country of the Salenti•i••, which i• also called Iapygia, Massapia, and Calabria. The Italian• doe now commonly call it •erra d' Otranto. This Country hath on the South •arentum, and the Sea even to the Salentinian Promontory: on the Eas• the same Promontory, with the Jonian Sea: on the North it is watered with the River Hidruntes▪ even to Brundusium: on the West it hath Asalta, Peucetia, and a part of great Greece. This Country hath a wholesome ayre, and a cleere faire Climate except on that Co••t, which reacheth from the Hydruntine Lake to Brundisium, where there are Marshes in those places which are neere the Sea. The Country is fa•t and fruitfull, and the chiefe Citty which nameth the Country is H•drun•um, which Strabo, Ptolemy, and others doe call Iar∣eus. Mela calleth it Hydrus: it it now call'd Otrante. It is an ancient Citty, having a sweet milde ayre, a strong Castle, built by Alph•nsus the second and a large spacious Haven. The soyle is pleasant and fruitfull. The other Citties are Gallipolis, now called Callipolis. Others call it Callipol•, as it were the faire Citty. It hath a strong situation: for it is seated on a Rock or small Iland, which is encompassed every where with the Sea. and it is joyned to the Continent with a s•one Bridge. Castrum is a Citty much frequented by Merchants, who co•• thither to buy Oyle. Brundusium, or Brundisiam, which Ptolemy call Breundesium, Steph. Brentesium▪ and Benjamin Barnedis. is now called B••∣disi. It hath a gentle ayre. It had heretofore a famous Haven. 〈◊〉 of which the Romanes did formerly passe safely into Greece, b•• now it is filled up, so that a Galley can hardly come up into it. The Citty is fortified with a strong Castle. The Citty Oria is seated on 〈◊〉 looking toward •arentum, and hath a strong Castle. That Town• which Ptolemy calls Aletium, is now called Leze, and Leccie. It is the prime Citty of the Salentinians, in regard that the Royall Coun•ell of Apulta is held here, and because all the Nobility of this Country have houses here. Vxent•m, now called Vgento, Vsenti, or Ogento, is a ve∣ry small Citty,

Calabria is so called from the Calabrians, who as it appeares in Pto∣lemy, did possesse a part of great Greece from the Salentinians to the Jo∣nian Sea, about the Promontory Iapygium. It is a Country of Italy which being stretched foorth in the farthest borders thereof like a tongue, doth lye betweene the higher and lower Straites. It doth plentifully produce all things that may serve for necessity, or delica∣cy, as Wheate Barley, and other kindes of Corne, also Wine, Oyle, Sugar, Manna, 〈◊〉, Wax, Salt, Figges, Oranges, Lemmons▪ and o∣ther excellent fruits: also Gold, Silver, Wooll, Cotton, Saffron, Silke▪ Hempe, and what not? Calabria is twofold, the lower which was here∣tofore the Seate of the Brutians, which is how called the lower Cala∣bria, and th• higher which was heretofore great Greece. The bounds of the lower Calabria are on the West Laus the Lucanians: on the South the Tirrhene and Sicilian Sea: on the East it is enclosed with part of the Hadriatick Sea: on the North with great Greece, and the River Crathus. Strabo Ptolemy, and other Graecians doe call the Metro∣polis, or Mother Citty hereof Consentia: it is now called Consenza. It is seated by the bending of the Apennine, and it containeth 7. Hills, on which the most part of the houses are situate. The other Citties are Manthia, Fredus, Belmontium, Sancta Euph•mia, Fanum Rhegium, Tropia, Castrum Villare, Altomonti, Turranom, Rugianum, Marturanum, Nicastrum, Briaticum, Hippo, and that Citty which was called Vibo Valentia. The bounds of the higher Calabria which was heretofore called great Greece, are on the East the Adriatick Sea: on the South the River Alex and the Brutians: on the West the River Crathis, with the Apennine, and the Lucanians: on the North the Tarentine Bay with Apulia. Here is the ancient and noble Citty Tarentum, which Appianus Alexandrinus calls Tarantum: Strabo and Ptolemy, Tarus: now it is called Taranto, Lu∣cius Florus saith that it was heretofore the chiefe Citty of Calabria, A∣pulia, and all Lucania. It is situate in the innermost part of a Bay, which is called from the Citty, the Tarentine Bay.

There remaineth in this Table Lucania to bee described, which is now called Basilicata, but from whence it is uncertaine. The bounds thereof on the West are the River Silarus, which bounders Campania: on the South the Tyrrhene See: on the East Laus the Brutians, and great Greece: on the North the Peucetians in Apulia, with a part of Hirpinia. Livy sheweth that it is all Mountainous and rugged. But now perhaps it is more inhabited than it was formerly, yet in many places it is very desolate, in regard of the hard uneven wayes, and the dreadfull hideous woods in which many robberies are committed The Townes here by the Sea are Paeslum, which Virgil mencioneth Lib. 4. Georg.

Biferique Rosaria Paesti. The Rose-Gardens of Paestum, whereSweet Roses doe grow twice a yeere.

Servius maketh Paestum a Cittie of Calabria, where Roses doe growe twice a yeare. Acropolis is a Towne 12. Miles from the mouth of the, River Silarius, having an excellent ayre. The name sheweth that it was built by the Graecians; as the most of the other Townes in this Country. There is also Pisciotta, which Pliny, Mela, and Ptolemy doe call Buxentum. Palicostrum is a Noble Citty and adorned with the title of a Dukedome. In the middle of the Country there is the Towne Padula, which is honoured with the title of a Marquiship. The Citty Capacia was heretofore very populous, and rich. I omit the other Townes. Moreover in the other part of the Kingdome of Naples there are these Archbishops, the Archbishop of Regiensis: under whom are Lucrensis, Cotroniensis, Cassanensis, Cathacensis, Neocastrensis, Giracensis, Tretetensis, Vibonensis, Squilacensis. The Archbishop of Consentinus, under whom is Maturanensis. The Archbishop of Rosania hath no Suffragans. The Archbishop of S. Severine, under whom are Ebriacensis, Strangulen∣sis, Gencocastrensis, Gerentinensis, S. Leonis. The Archbishop of Larcatinus under whom are Mutulensis, Castellanensis. The Archbishop of Brundi∣sinus, under whom are Astrinensis. The Archbishop of Hidrontinus, un∣der whom are Castrensis, Gallipolitanus, Liciensis, Vgentinensis, Lucensis, Nerto•ensis is exempted. The Archbishop of Barensis, under whom are Betontinensis, Calphajanus, Invenacensis, Rubentinensis, Salpensis, Cauriensis, Baterensis, Conversanus, Minerviensis, Polignercensis, Cathericensis, Lavelli∣nensis. The Archbishop of Tranensis, under whom are Vigiliensis, An∣drensis, and Penensis. The Archbishop of Sipontinus, under whom are Vescanensis excepted, Trojanensis excepted, Melphiensis, Monopolitanensis, and Rapolensis are excepted, Cannosanus under whom are Auranensis, Sarranensis, Montisviridis, Laquedonensis, S. Angeli de Lombardis, Bisaciensis. The Archbishop of Acheronti, under whom are Potentiensis, Tricariensis, Venusiensis, Graviensis, Angelensis.