NOCERA INFERIORE

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'Nocera 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, 135 ft. above sea-level.

Contents

History

Main sights

Notable people

Transportation

Notes

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 BCE when it joined the revolted Samnites. In 308 it repulsed a Roman attempt to land at the mouth of the Sarnus, but in 307 it was besieged and surrendered. It obtained favourable terms, and remained faithful to Rome even after Cannae.
Hannibal reduced it in 216 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 BCE, as a compensation. In 73 BCE 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. A colony of Saracens introduced by Frederick II probably gave rise to the epithet ("of the pagans") by which it was so long distinguished, as well as to the town of Pagani, which lies about one mile 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 writes 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

Nocera was the birthplace of the painter Francesco Solimena and maybe of Hugues de Payns, the founder of the Templars, the footballers Simone Barone and Raffaele De Martino .
Originary from Nocera are the Italian American Mario Cuomo and Warren Cuccurullo.

Transportation

Nocera is connected with Naples and Avellino by a branch railway.
Nocera is connected with Naples, Avellino and Salerno by a branch railway.

Notes

1. All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.