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right|260pxNocera Inferiore, formerly
Nocera dei Pagani, is a town and comune in
Campania, Italy, in the
province of Salerno, at the foot of Monte Albino, 20 km east-south-east of
Naples by rail, . above sea-level.
History
In the period before the
Roman supremacy in southern Italy,
Nuceria Alfaterna appears to have been the chief town in the valley of the Sarnus,
Herculaneum, Pompeii,
Stabiae and
Surrentum all being dependent upon it. The coins of the town bear the head of the river god. It maintained its allegiance to Rome till 309 BC when it joined the revolted
Samnites. There is also an alphabet called
nucerino, a derivation by tre
Etruscan. In 308 BC it repulsed a Roman attempt to land at the mouth of the Sarnus, but in 307 BC it was besieged and surrendered. It obtained favourable terms, and remained faithful to Rome even after
Cannae.
Hannibal reduced it in 216 BC by starvation, and destroyed the town. The inhabitants returned when peace was restored. Even during the
Social War Nuceria remained true to Rome, though the dependent towns joined the revolt; after it they were formed into independent communities, and Nuceria received the territory of Stabiae, which had been destroyed by
Sulla in 89 BC, as a compensation. In 73 BC it was plundered by
Spartacus.
At an early date the city became an episcopal see, and in the 12th century it sided with
Innocent II against
Roger of Sicily, and suffered severely for its choice. In the 13th century had the name of
Nuceria Christianorum (Nocera of the Christians), because a colony of
Saracens was introduced by
Frederick II in the town of
Lucera, formerly know as
Nuceria de Apulia.
A small colony of saracens was really introduced in the town, but around the 9th century.
By the end of 15th century, until 1806 had the epithet ("of the pagans",
Nuceria Paganorum).
Today there is the town of Pagani, which lies about one mile (1.6 km) to the west.
In 1385 Pope Urban VI was besieged in the castle of Charles of Durazzo.
Main sights
Helena, the widow of
Manfred of Sicily, was imprisoned in the Castle and died here after the
battle of Benevento (1268). Here also
Urban VI imprisoned the cardinals who favoured the
antipope Clement VII.
The castle also had like guests the writers
Dante Alighieri and
Boccaccio.
About three kilometers to the east, near the village of Nocera Superiore, is the circular church of
Santa Maria Maggiore, dating from the 6th century. Its chief feature is its dome, ceiled with stone internally, but covered externally with a false roof. It is supported by 40 ancient columns, and in its construction resembles
Santo Stefano Rotondo in Rome. The walls are covered with frescoes from the 14th century.
Notable people
Transportation
Nocera is connected with Naples and
Avellino by a branch railway.
Nocera is connected with Naples, Avellino and Salerno by a branch railway.
Gallery
See also
