Cilento History
Cilento can boast very long history. Remains of homo Camarotensis have been found in Camerota. In Palinuro, in San Giovanni and in San Marco di Castellabate palaeolothic articrafts have been found.
Between the VII and VI centuries B.C. the economy of the Greek colonies in South Italy (called Magma Graecia or Greater Greece) was booming, the two main cities being Poseidonia and Elea, later renamed Paestum and Velia respectively by the Romans.
In the archaeological site of Paestum we are still fascinated by the three splendid temples of Neptune, Ceres and Hera. Velia was founded by the people from Phocea. Xenophon from Colofon here set up the School of philosophy that was later made famous by the great philosopher Parmenides. The Lucanians ruled Cilento from the IV century B.C. until 275 B.C. After the battle of Maleventum the Romans conquered Poseidonia and renamed it Paestum.
Around the year 750 A.D. the Longobards created the Princedom of Salerno and Cilento was part of it. After the death of its prince Guaimaro IV, the Normans conquered the Princedom of Salerno and donated it to the Sanseverino family.
Between the XVI and the XVII centuries, Cilento suffered from social disorders when people called brigands those who rose in arms against the oppressive rule of the Bourbons. Aware of this situation, Carlo Pisacane landed here in 1857 with over 300 freedom fighters wishing to arouse the local peasants against the rulers. With just a few mates he seized a liner steamship, sailed to the isle of Ponza, liberated some 300 prisoners and headed south to Sapri, where he landed, but failed to arouse a general revolt. They were easily vanquished by the regular army. The wounded leader, Pisacane, committed suicide, so as not to fall in the hands of the enemy. The few survivors had to face a trial which ended with a death sentence for Giovanni Nicotera. However, this sentence was never carried out due to other impending events.
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