Atella
Encyclopedia
Atella was an ancient city of Campania
, halfway between Naples
and Capua
; its ruins lie between the towns of Orta di Atella
and Sant'Arpino
. Atella is not mentioned until the Second Punic War
, when, although an independent city striking its own coinage, it was allied with Capua
and the other Campanian cities in siding with Carthage
after the battle of Cannae
. It was occupied by Rome in 210 BC, the chief citizens executed and the survivors enslaved or exiled; the city was refounded as a home for the refugees from Nuceria. In the 1st century BC, Cicero
speaks highly of it and appears to have been its patron; it continued into imperial times as a municipium
, famed for its traditional scenic performances known as Atellanae.
The Christian bishopric seated at Atella had its origins in 438 or 439 when Canion and eleven associates from North Africa were either expelled by Gaiseric, the Arian
king of the Vandals
or fled: ex Africa pulsi vel propria sponte exulantes, in Italian advecti. As Saint Canio he took his place among the saints and martyrs of Capua and of Campania in a mosaic iconography in the Basilica of Saint Prisco in Capua, where his image is identified with his name. His feast is recorded in the martyrologies
as 25 May.
The city had been laid waste by the 8th century to such an extent that bishop Leo of Acerenza in Lucania translated the saint's relics to Acerenza
, where he would be made the patron saint. The bishopric
was transferred to the nearby Norman
fortress-city of Aversa
in 1030.
The ruins of the city walls, private houses, and many tombs remain, on sites in the comuni
of Frattaminore
, Orta di Atella
, Sant'Arpino
and Succivo
(these last three together made the comune of Atella di Napoli in the mid‑1900s). Ancient territory of Atella is now represented in the comuni of Caivano
, Cardito
, Cesa, Frattamaggiore
, Grumo Nevano
and Sant'Antimo
.
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
, halfway between Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
; its ruins lie between the towns of Orta di Atella
Orta di Atella
Orta di Atella is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 15 km north of Naples and about 12 km southwest of Caserta....
and Sant'Arpino
Sant'Arpino
Sant'Arpino is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania located about 11 km northwest of Naples and about 12 km southwest of Caserta....
. Atella is not mentioned until the Second Punic War
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
, when, although an independent city striking its own coinage, it was allied with Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
and the other Campanian cities in siding with Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
after the battle of Cannae
Battle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae was a major battle of the Second Punic War, which took place on August 2, 216 BC near the town of Cannae in Apulia in southeast Italy. The army of Carthage under Hannibal decisively defeated a numerically superior army of the Roman Republic under command of the consuls Lucius...
. It was occupied by Rome in 210 BC, the chief citizens executed and the survivors enslaved or exiled; the city was refounded as a home for the refugees from Nuceria. In the 1st century BC, Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
speaks highly of it and appears to have been its patron; it continued into imperial times as a municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
, famed for its traditional scenic performances known as Atellanae.
The Christian bishopric seated at Atella had its origins in 438 or 439 when Canion and eleven associates from North Africa were either expelled by Gaiseric, the Arian
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
king of the Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
or fled: ex Africa pulsi vel propria sponte exulantes, in Italian advecti. As Saint Canio he took his place among the saints and martyrs of Capua and of Campania in a mosaic iconography in the Basilica of Saint Prisco in Capua, where his image is identified with his name. His feast is recorded in the martyrologies
Martyrology
A martyrology is a catalogue or list of martyrs , arranged in the calendar order of their anniversaries or feasts. Local martyrologies record exclusively the custom of a particular Church. Local lists were enriched by names borrowed from neighbouring churches...
as 25 May.
The city had been laid waste by the 8th century to such an extent that bishop Leo of Acerenza in Lucania translated the saint's relics to Acerenza
Acerenza
Acerenza is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.-History:With its strategic position 800 m above sea-level, Acerenza has been sacked by a series of invaders....
, where he would be made the patron saint. The bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
was transferred to the nearby Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
fortress-city of Aversa
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
in 1030.
The ruins of the city walls, private houses, and many tombs remain, on sites in the comuni
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Frattaminore
Frattaminore
Frattaminore is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 13 km north of Naples.Frattaminore borders the following municipalities: Crispano, Frattamaggiore, Orta di Atella, Sant'Arpino....
, Orta di Atella
Orta di Atella
Orta di Atella is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 15 km north of Naples and about 12 km southwest of Caserta....
, Sant'Arpino
Sant'Arpino
Sant'Arpino is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania located about 11 km northwest of Naples and about 12 km southwest of Caserta....
and Succivo
Succivo
Succivo is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 15 km north of Naples and about 13 km southwest of Caserta...
(these last three together made the comune of Atella di Napoli in the mid‑1900s). Ancient territory of Atella is now represented in the comuni of Caivano
Caivano
Caivano is a city and comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 14 km northeast of Naples....
, Cardito
Cardito
Cardito is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 14 km northeast of Naples. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 20,752 and an area of 3.2 km²....
, Cesa, Frattamaggiore
Frattamaggiore
-Geography:It is located in the Afragola hinterland. At the 2001 census the municipality had a population of 32,731 inhabitants and a land area of 5.32 km² . It is bordered by Afragola, Cardito, Crispano, Frattaminore, Grumo Nevano, and Sant'Arpino....
, Grumo Nevano
Grumo Nevano
Grumo Nevano is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 11 km north of Naples.-External links:*...
and Sant'Antimo
Sant'Antimo
Sant'Antimo is a comune in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 13 km north of Naples.-External links:*...
.