Nocera Inferiore

Nocera Inferiore 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. 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, derived from the 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 known as Nuceria de Apulia. A small colony of Saracens was actually introduced in the town 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 1.5 km to the west. In 1385 Pope Urban VI was besieged in the castle by Charles III of Naples. 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 as 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. Monuments Basilicas Cathedral-Basilica of san Prisco and San Marco (10th century ) Basilica of Sant'Anna (13th century) Basilica of Sant'Antonio (13th century) Churches Church of San Matteo (10th century ) Convent of San Giovanni in Parco (12th century ) Church of Sant'Angelo in grotta (12th century ) Monastery of Santa Chiara (13th century) Church of the Corpo di Cristo (16th century) Convent of Sant'Andrea (16th century) Sanctuary of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (16th century) Church of San Bartolomeo (18th century) Castle Castello del Parco (10th century ) Buildings Torre Guerritore (19th century) Palazzo Vescovile (16th century) Curia diocesana (18th century) Palazzo ducale (16th century) Caserma Bruno Tofano (18th century) Palazzo Lanzara (17th century) Palazzo del Liceo Classico (20th century)) Museums Pinacoteca del convento di Sant'Antonio Diocesan Museum San Prisco Archaeology museums dell'Agro nocerino Notable people Publius Sittius Publius Vitellius the Elder Publius Vitellius the Younger Vitellius Priscus martyr Priscus of Nocera Felix and Constantia Antipope Laurentius Beatrice of Provence Helena Angelina Doukaina Charles Martel of Anjou San Ludovico D'Angiò, canonized on April 7, 1317 by John XXII Dietrich of Nieheim Pope Urban VI Raimondo Del Balzo Orsini Jacopo Sannazzaro, famous poet, humanist, and epigrammist Nunzio Ferraiuoli, famous painter Paolo Giovio Bernardino Telesio Orazio Solimena, famous painter Angelo Solimena, famous painter Francesco Solimena, famous painter in the Baroque era Carlo Cafiero Giuseppe Fanelli Warren Cuccurullo Domenico Rea Mario Cuomo Andrew Cuomo Pat Villani Mino Raiola, football agent Giammario Piscitella Lorenzo Prisco, footballer Michele Tarallo Simone Barone, World Cup-winning footballer Raffaele De Martino, footballer Teresa Di Loreto Joel Salvi Transportation Nocera is connected with Naples, Avellino and Salerno by a branch railway. Notes and references This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. See also Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno Alphabet of Nuceria A.S.G. Nocerina External links Media related to Nocera Inferiore at Wikimedia Commons Official Website