Prehistory
Venosa, fossil elephant skeleton
The first traces of human presence in Basilicata date to the late Paleolithic, with findings of Homo erectus. Late Cenozoicfossils, found at Venosaand other locations, include elephants, rhinoceros and species now extinct such as a saber-toothed cat of the genusMachairodus. Examples of rock artfrom the Mesolithichave been discovered near Filiano. From the fifth millennium, people stopped living in caves and built settlements of huts up to the rivers leading to the interior (Tolve, Tricarico, Aliano, Melfi, Metaponto). In this period, anatomically modern humans lived by cultivating cereals and animal husbandry (Bovinaeand Caprinae). Chalcolithicsites include the grottoes of Latronicoand the funerary findings of the Cervaro grotto near Lagonegro.
The first known stable market center of the Apennine cultureon the sea, consisting of huts on the promontory of Capo la Timpa [it], near to Maratea, dates to the Bronze Age.
The first indigenous Iron Age communities lived in large villages in plateaus located at the borders of the plains and the rivers, in places fitting their breeding and agricultural activities. Such settlements include that of Anglona, located between the fertile valleys of Agriand Sinni, of Siris and, on the coast of the Ionian Sea, of Incoronata-San Teodoro. The first presence of Greek colonists, coming from the Greek islandsand Anatolia, date from the late eighth century BC.
There are virtually no traces of survival of the 11th-8th century BC archaeological sites of the settlements (aside from a necropolis at Castelluccio on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea): this was perhaps caused by the increasing presence of Greek colonies, which changed the balance of the trades.
Ancient history
In ancient historical times the region was originally known as Lucania, named for the Lucani, an Oscan-speakingpopulation from central Italy. Their name might be derived from Greek leukosmeaning “white”, lykos(“gray wolf“), or Latin lucus(“sacred grove“). Or more probably Lucania, as much as the Luciusforename (praenomen) derives from the Latinword Lux(gen. lucis), meaning “light” (<PIE*leuk-“brightness”, Latin verb lucere“to shine”), and is a cognateof name Lucas. Another etymology proposed is a derivation from EtruscanLauchum(or Lauchme) meaning “king“, which however was transferred into Latin as Lucumo.[12]
Starting from the late eighth century BC, the Greeks established a settlement first at Siris, founded by fugitives from Colophon. Then with the foundation of Metapontofrom Achaeancolonists, they started the conquest of the whole Ionian coast. There were also indigenous Oenotrianfoundations on the coast, which exploited the nearby presence of Greek settlements, such as Veliaand Pyxous, for their maritime trades.
The first contacts between the Lucanians and the Romans date from the latter half of the fourth century BC. After the conquest of Tarantoin 272, Roman rule was extended to the whole region: the Appian Wayreached Brindisiand the colonies of Potentia (modern Potenza) and Grumentumwere founded.
Middle Ages
After the fall of the Western Roman Empirein 476, Basilicata fell to Germanic rule, which ended in the mid-6th century when the Byzantines reconquered it from the Ostrogoths between 536 and 552 during the apocalyptic Byzantine-Gothic war under the leadership of Byzantine generals Belisarius and Narses. The region, deeply Christianized since as early as the 5th century, became part of the LombardDuchy of Benevento founded by the invading Lombards between 571 and 590. In the following centuries, Saracen raids led part of the population to move from the plain and coastal settlements to more protected centers located on hills. The towns of Tricarico and Tursi were under Muslim rule for a short period: later the “Saracen” population would be expelled.[13]The region was conquered once more for Byzantium from the Saracens and the Lombards in the late 9th century, with the campaigns of Nikephoros Phokas the Elder and his successors, and became part of the theme of Longobardia. In 968 the theme of Lucaniawas established, with the capital at Tursikon (Tursi). In 1059, Basilicata, together with the rest of much of southern Italy, was conquered by the Italo-Normans. Later, it was inherited by the Hohenstaufen, who were ousted in the 13th century by the Capetian House of Anjou.
Modern and contemporary ages
In 1485, Basilicata was the seat of plotters against King Ferdinand I of Naples, the so-called “Conspiracy of the Barons”, which included the Sanseverino of Tricarico, the Caracciolo of Melfi, the Gesualdo of Caggiano, the Orsini Del Balzo [it]of Altamura and Venosa and other anti-Aragonese families. Later, Charles V stripped most of the barons of their lands, replacing them with the Carafa, Revertera, Pignatelli and Colonna among others. After the formation of the Neapolitan Republic (1647), Basilicata also rebelled, but the revolt was suppressed. In 1663 a new province was created in Basilicata with its capital in Matera.
The region became part of the Kingdom of the Two Siciliesin 1735. Basilicata autonomously declared its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy on August 18, 1860 with the Potenza insurrection. It was during this period that the State confiscated and sold off vast tracts of Basilicata’s territory formerly owned by the Catholic Church. As the new owners were a handful of wealthy aristocratic families, the average citizen did not see any immediate economic and social improvements after unification, and poverty continued unabated. This gave rise to the phenomenon of Brigandage in Southern Italy after 1861, whereby the Church encouraged the local people to rise up against the nobility and the new Italian state. This strong opposition movement continued for many years. Carmine Croccofrom Rionero in Vulturewas the most important chief in the region and the most impressive leader in southern Italy.[14]
From Wikipedia
