Nocera Umbra
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| Comune di Nocera Umbra | |
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 Municipal coat of arms |
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| Country |  Italy |
| Region | Umbria |
| Province | Perugia (PG) |
| Mayor | Donatello Tinti (since May 29, 2006) |
| Elevation | 520 m (1,706 ft) |
| Area | 157 km² (61 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| - Total | 5,896 |
| - Density | 38/km² (98/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | |
| Gentilic | Nocerini |
| Dialing code | 0742 |
| Postal code | 06025 |
| Frazioni | see list |
| Patron | San Rinaldo |
| - Day | February 9 |
| Website: www.comune.noceraumbra.pg.it | |
Nocera Umbra is a town in the province of Perugia, Italy, 15 kilometers east of Foligno, at an altitude of 520 m (1706 ft) above sea-level. It has a population of about 5,900. The Comune, covering an area of 157.19 km², is one of the largest in Umbria.
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[edit] History
The town of Nocera was founded in the seventh century BC by inhabitants from Camerinum, an Umbrian town, which left their birthplace during a so called ver sacrum (sacred spring). The name of Nocera in Osco-Umbrian language was Noukria, meaning "New" (town).
The Roman town was not located on the hill - where modern Nocera lies - but in the valley, near the Topino creek.
The town - under the Latin name Nuceria Camellana – came under Roman control between the end of the fourth century and the first decades of the 3rd century BC, and became a Municipium. This acquired soon strategic importance because it lied on that branch of the via Flaminia, the road which linked Rome to the Adriatic, going from Forum Flamini (S. Giovanni Profiamma, near Foligno) to Fanum, on the Picenum. Several remains of the Roman roads are visible still today. From Nuceria the Romans built also another road – the Septempedana - leading to the Roman military outposts of Prolaqueum and Septempeda, on the Adriatic side of the Apennines.
According to Pliny the Elder, Nuceria was inhabited by the two genses called Nucerini Favonienses (faithful of Favonia, also named Fauna, a Goddess) and Camellani (originating from Camerinum, or maybe makers of camellae, small wooden containers). Strabo writes that the town was famous for the production of wooden Vases (possibly barrels).
During the second Punic war, in 217 BC, Hannibal is said to have camped with his army near the town, (in a place which still today is called Affrica), after the battle of Trasimeno, on his way to the Adriatic Sea.
Near Nuceria, on the shores of the today desiccated Lacus Plestinus, the Commander of the Roman cavalry, C. Centenius, fought with 4,000 Knights a battle against carthaginian Troops headed by Maharbal.
The town reached the apogee of its prosperity during the first two centuries Ad.
During the fifth Century, the diocese of Nocera was formed.
The Roman town was destroyed at the beginning of 5th century AD, possibly by the Visigoths: the survivors rebuilt their homes on the top of the hill, where today's Nocera still lies. The Lombards occupied the town and set there an Arimannia, then a Gastaldatus and finally, at the beginning of the 9th century (during the Frankish period) it became a County. The walled town – it was named arx fortissima in contemporary documents - guarded the northern border of the Duchy of Spoleto against the Byzantines residing at Gualdo Tadino. The importance of Nocera during the Lombard period is stressed by the Necropolis explored in 1897, whose findings – weapons, jewels, household utensils, ceramics - build the core of the Museo dell'alto Medioevo in Rome.
During the Middle Ages Nocera acquired its present character of walled town.
In 1202 the town came under the domination of Perugia, and was destroyed in 1248 by emperor Frederick II. Short thereafter it came in possession of the Trinci of Foligno.
In 1421 the Castellan of Nocera, Pietro di Rasiglia, since suspected his wife of adultery with Niccolò I Trinci, invited the whole Trinci family to an hunting party and killed all the them, except the young Corrado, who took revenge of the murder of his relatives attacking the town and killing the unfaithful castellan.
In 1439 Cardinal Giovanni Vitelleschi crushed the Trinci's Signoria, and Nocera was annexed to the Papal States. The town, with the exception of the Napoleonic period, remained under Pope's lordship until 1860 when, as a part of Umbria, was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.
The town and the surrounding hamlets have been struck several times by strong Earthquakes. The major ones took place on April 30, 1279 April 17, 1747 and September 26, 1997. The damages of the last one have not been fully repaired yet.
[edit] Main sights
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It has some old churches, containing pictures and frescoes; in the Cathedral is a large altarpiece by Niccolò Alunno. Six kilometers south-east of the town (frazione of Bagni) is the Angelica mineral spring.
The principal mount is the Pennino with an altitude of 1,575 m.
[edit] Frazioni
Acciano, Aggi, Bagnara, Bagni, Boschetto, Boschetto Basso, Capannacce, Casa Paoletti, Casaluna, Case, Case Basse, Castiglioni, Castrucciano, Cellerano, Colle, Colle Croce, Colpertana, Colsaino, Gaifana, Isola, La Costa, Lanciano, Largnano, Le Moline, Maccantone, Mascionchie, Molina, Molinaccio, Montecchio, Mosciano, Nocera Scalo, Nocera Umbra Stazione, Pettinara, Ponte Parrano, Schiagni, Sorifa, Villa di Postignano, Ville Santa Lucia
[edit] Sources
- Sigismondi, Gino (1979). Nuceria in Umbria. Ediclio, Foligno.
- Boschi, Enzo, and others (1988). I terremoti dell’Appennino umbro-marchigiano area sud orientale dal 99 a.C. al 1984. ING-SGA, Bologna.
[edit] References
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
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