GNATIA

'Gnatia' (also 'Egnatia' or 'Ignatia', modern Anazzo, near Fasano) was an ancient city of the Messapii, and their frontier town towards the Sallentini (i.e., of Apulia towards Calabria). In Roman times it was of importance for its trade, lying as it did on the sea, at the point where the Via Traiana joined the coast road, 50 km SE of Barium. An episcopal see in the the Palaeo-Christian era, the city was probably abandoned in the High Middle Ages due to the spread of malaria in the area, or to Saracen attacks.
The ancient city walls have been almost entirely destroyed in recent times to provide building material, and the place is famous for the discoveries made in its tombs. A considerable collection of antiquities from Gnatia is preserved at Fasano, though the best are in the museum at Bari.