Basilicata

Basilicata(UK:/bəˌsɪlɪˈkɑːtə/,US:/-ˌzɪl-/;Italian:[baziliˈkaːta]), also known by its ancient nameLucania(/luːˈkeɪniə/,USalso/luːˈkɑːnjə/,Italian:[luˈkaːnja]), is an administrativeregioninSouthern Italy, bordering onCampaniato the west,Apuliato the north and east, andCalabriato the south. It has two coastlines: a 30-km stretch on theTyrrhenian Seabetween Campania and Calabria, and a longer coastline along theGulf of Tarantobetween Calabria and Apulia. The region can be thought of as the "arch" of the "boot" of Italy, with Calabria functioning as the "toe" and Apulia the "heel".
The region covers about 10,000 km(3,900 sq mi). In 2010, the population was slightly under 600,000. The regional capital isPotenza. The region comprises two provinces:PotenzaandMatera.Its inhabitants are generally known as Lucanians (Italian:lucani), and to a lesser extent asbasilicatesior by other very rare terms.
In ancient times part of its territory belonged toMagna Graecia, subject to coastalGreek colonies(includingSybaris). Later the region was conquered by theancient Romans. It was then conquered by theByzantines, and then by theNormansaround the year 1000 with theHauteville family. Their presence explains the persistence of theGallo-Italic linguistic enclaves of Basilicata. The area was later dominated by theAragoneseand by theSpanish. Subsequently, it became part of theKingdom of the Two Sicilies, before annexation to the unifiedKingdom of Italy(proclaimed in 1861) after the 1860Expedition of the Thousand.
The name probably derives frombasilikos(Greek:βασιλικός), which refers to thebasileus, theByzantine emperors, whoruled the regionfor 200 years, from 536/552 to 571/590 and from 879 to 1059.Others argue that the name may refer to the Basilica ofAcerenza, which held judicial power in theMiddle Ages.
During the ancientGreekandRomaneras, Basilicata was known asLucania. This was possibly derived fromleukos(Greek: λευκός), meaning "white", fromlykos(Greek: λύκος), meaning "wolf", or from Latinlūcus, meaning "sacred wood".More probably, the name Lucania derived, like the forename (praenomen)Lucius, from theLatinwordLux(gen.lucis), meaning "light" (fromPIE*leuk-, "brightness", also the root of the Latin verblucere, "to shine"), which is acognateof the nameLucas. Another proposed etymology is a derivation from theEtruscanwordLauchum(orLauchme), meaning "king", which passed into Latin asLucumo.
Basilicata covers an extensive part of the southernApennine Mountains, between theOfantoriver in the north and thePollinomassif in the south. It is bordered on the east by a large part of theBradanoriver depression, which is traversed by numerous streams and declines to the southeastern coastal plains on theIonian Sea. The region also has a short coastline to the southwest on theTyrrhenian Seaside of the peninsula.
Basilicata is the most mountainous region in the south ofItaly, with 47% of its area of 9,992 km(3,858 sq mi) covered by mountains. Of the remaining area, 45% is hilly, and 8% is made up of plains. Notable mountains and ranges include thePollinomassif, theDolomiti lucane,Monte Vulture,Monte Alpi,Monte Carmine,Monti Li FojandToppa Pizzuta.
Geological features of the region include the volcanic formations ofMonte Vulture, and the seismic faults in theMelfiandPotenzaareas in the north, and around Pollino in the south. Much of the region was devastated in the1857 Basilicata earthquake. More recently, the1980 Irpinia earthquakedestroyed many towns in the northwest of the region.
The mountainous terrain combined with weak rock and soil types makeslandslidesprevalent. The lithological structure of the substratum and its chaotic tectonic deformation predispose the slope to landslides, and this problem is compounded by the lack of forested land. In common with many another Mediterranean region, Basilicata was once rich in forests, but they were largely felled and made barren during the time of Roman rule.
The variable climate is influenced by three coastlines (Adriatic, Ionian and Tyrrhenian) and the complexity of the region's physical features. In general, the climate iscontinentalin the mountains andMediterraneanalong the coasts.
The first traces of human presence in Basilicata date to the latePaleolithic, with findings ofHomo erectus. LateCenozoicfossils, found atVenosaand other locations, include elephants, rhinoceros and species now extinct such as asaber-toothed catof thegenusMachairodus. Examples ofrock artfrom theMesolithichave been discovered nearFiliano. From the fifth millennium, people stopped living in caves and built settlements of huts up to the rivers leading to the interior (Tolve,Tricarico,Aliano,Melfi,Metaponto). In this period,anatomically modern humanslived by cultivating cereals and animal husbandry (BovinaeandCaprinae).Chalcolithicsites include the grottoes ofLatronicoand the funerary findings of the Cervaro grotto nearLagonegro.
The first known stable market center of theApennine cultureon the sea, consisting of huts on the promontory ofCapo la Timpa, near toMaratea, dates to theBronze Age. The first indigenousIron Agecommunities lived in large villages in plateaus located at the borders of the plains and the rivers, in places fitting their breeding and agricultural activities. Such settlements include that ofTursi, known at the time as Anglona, located between the fertile valleys ofAgriandSinni, ofSirisand, on the coast of theIonian Sea, of Incoronata-San Teodoro. The first presence of Greek colonists, coming fromthe Greek islandsandAnatolia, date from the late eighth century BC.
There are virtually no traces of survival of the 11th–8th century BC archaeological sites of the settlements (aside from a necropolis atCastelluccioon the coast of theTyrrhenian Sea): this was perhaps caused by the increasing presence of Greek colonies, which changed the balance of the trades.
In ancient historical times, the region was originally known asLucania, named for theLucani, anOscan-speakingpopulation fromcentral Italy.
Starting from the late eighth century BC, the Greeks established a settlement first atSiris, founded by fugitives fromColophon. Then with the foundation ofMetapontofromAchaeancolonists, they started the conquest of the whole Ionian coast. There were also indigenousOenotrianfoundations on the coast, which exploited the nearby presence of Greek settlements, such asVeliaandPyxous, for their maritime trades. The region became one of the centers ofMagna Graecia, with the foundation along its coasts of many Greek city-states (póleis).
The first contacts between the Lucanians and theRomansdate from the latter half of the fourth century BC. After the conquest ofTarantoin 272, Roman rule was extended to the whole region: theAppian WayreachedBrindisiand the colonies of Potentia (modernPotenza) andGrumentumwere founded.
After the fall of theWestern Roman Empirein 476, Basilicata fell to Germanic rule, which ended in the mid-6th century when theByzantinesreconquered itfrom theOstrogothsbetween 536 and 552 during the apocalyptic Byzantine-Gothic war under the leadership of Byzantine generals Belisarius and Narses. The region, deeply Christianized since as early as the 5th century, became part of theLombardDuchy of Beneventofounded by the invading Lombards between 571 and 590.
In the following centuries,Saracenraids led part of the population to move from the plain and coastal settlements to more protected centers located on hills. The towns ofTricaricoandTursiwere under Muslim rule for a short period: later the "Saracen" population would be expelled.The region was conquered once more for Byzantium from the Saracens and the Lombards in the late 9th century, with the campaigns ofNikephoros Phokas the Elderand his successors, and became part of the theme ofLongobardia. In 968 thethemeofLucaniawas established, with the capital at Tursikon (Tursi).
In the 11th century, Basilicata, together with the rest of much ofsouthern Italy, was conquered by theNormans.Melfibecame the first capital of the County of Apulia (laterCounty of Apulia and Calabria) in 1043, whereRobert Guiscardwas named "Duke" byPope Nicholas II. Inherited by theHohenstaufen,Frederick IIreorganized the administrative structure of his predecessors and theJusticiarate of Basilicata, whose borders coincided almost entirely with the actual region, was created. In Melfi, the Emperor promulgated theLiber Augustalis(commonly known asConstitutions of Melfi), code of laws for theKingdom of Sicily. TheSwabianswere ousted in the 13th century by theCapetian House of Anjou. Since then, Basilicata began to lose importance and was marked by an irreversible socio-political decline.
In 1485, Basilicata was the seat of plotters against KingFerdinand I of Naples, the so-calledconspiracy of the Barons, which included theSanseverinoof Tricarico, theCaraccioloofMelfi, the Gesualdo ofCaggiano, theOrsini Del BalzoofAltamuraandVenosaand other anti-Aragonese families. Later,Charles Vstripped most of the barons of their lands, replacing them with theCarafa, Revertera,PignatelliandColonnaamong others. After the formation of theNeapolitan Republic (1647), Basilicata also rebelled, but the revolt was suppressed. In 1663 a new province was created in Basilicata with its capital inMatera.
The region came under the dominion of theHouse of Bourbonin 1735. Basilicata autonomously declared its annexation to theKingdom of Italyon August 18, 1860, with the Potenza insurrection. It was during this period that the state confiscated and sold off vast tracts of Basilicata's territory formerly owned by theCatholic Church. As the new owners were a handful of wealthy aristocratic families, the average citizen did not see any immediate economic and social improvements after unification, and poverty continued unabated.
This gave rise to the phenomenon ofbrigandage, which actually turned into a civil war in the form of a guerrilla fighting, whereby the Bourbon in exile and the Church encouraged the peasants to rise up against theKingdom of Italy. This strong opposition movement continued for many years. The revolt in Basilicata was led byCarmine Crocco, who was the most important chief in the region and the most impressive band leader in southern Italy.
It was only really afterWorld War IIthat things slowly began to improve thanks to land reform. In 1952, the inhabitants of theSassi di Materawere rehoused by the state, but many of Basilicata's population had emigrated or were in the process of emigrating, which led to a demographic crisis from which it is still recovering.
Although Basilicata has never had a large population, there have nevertheless been quite considerable fluctuations in the demographic pattern of the region. In 1881, there were 539,258 inhabitants but by 1911 the population had decreased by 11% to 485,911, mainly as a result of emigration overseas. There was a slow increase in the population until World War II, after which there was a resurgence of emigration to other countries in Europe, which continued until 1971 and the start of another period of steady increase until 1993 (611,000 inhabitants). Since the 1990s the population has decreased as a result of a new wave of migration, both towards northern Italy and to other countries in Europe, and a reduction in the birth rate. As of 2024, the population was 533,636 inhabitants, which is a 12.7% decrease since 1993.
The population density is very low compared to that of Italy as a whole: 59.1 inhabitants per kmcompared to 200.4 nationwide in 2010. There is not a great difference between the population densities of the provinces of Matera and Potenza.
Religion, particularly Roman Catholicism still maintains a solid role in the culture and everyday lives of people in Basilicata. Italian National Statistical Institute (ISTAT) in 2018 found that 24.9% of the population went weekly to church, synagogue, mosque, temple or other place of worship, with the share of practicing believers higher in Basilicata (27.9%)
Basilicata is divided into two provinces:
Cultivation consists mainly of sowables (especially wheat), which represent 46% of the total land. Potatoes and maize are produced in the mountain areas. Olives and wine production is relatively small with about 31,000 hectares (77,000 acres) under cultivation.The terrain is mountainous and hilly with poor transportation routes that hinders harvesting. Most oils are sold unbranded and only 3% is exported. The main olive cultivars are Ogliarola del Vulture, Ogliarola del Bradano, Majatica di Ferrandina and Farasana with only Ogliarola del Vulture having theProtected Designation of Origin(PDO).Other varieties are the Arnasca, Ascolana, Augellina, Cellina,Frantoio,Leccino, Majatica, Nostrale, Ogliarola (Ogliarola Barese),Palmarolaor Fasolina, Rapolese di Lavello, and Sargano (Sargano di Fermo and Sargano di San Benedetto).
Among industrial activities, the manufacturing sector contributes to the gross value added of the secondary sector with 64% of the total, while the building sector contributes 24%. Within the services sector, the main activities in terms of gross value added are business activities, distributive trade, education and public administration. In the last few years, new productive sectors have developed: manufacturing, automotive, and especiallyoil extraction. In 2009,Eniemployed 230 people in this area (of whom over 50% were from Basilicata), and about 1,800 were employed in activities directly generated by Eni's operations, distributed in 80 companies of which over 50% were from Basilicata.The region produced about 100,000 bbl/d (16,000 m/d), meeting 11 percent of Italy's domestic oil demand.
FIAT plant inMelfihas 7,200 employees and manufactured 229,848Jeep Renegade,Jeep CompassandFiat 500Xin 2020.
TheGross domestic product(GDP) of the region was 12.6 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 0.7% of Italy's economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 22,200 euros or 74% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 95% of the EU average.
The unemployment rate stood at 8.6% in 2020, the lowest rate inSouth Italy.
Difficult accessibility and lack of extended promotion make Basilicata one of the most remote and least visited regions of Italy. However, tourism is slowly growing since the early 2000s.Matera, once dubbed "national disgrace" by prime ministerAlcide De Gasperiwho urged to take strict development measures due to its extreme poverty,is now Basilicata's main attraction and has gained fame worldwide for its historical center, theSassi, designated in 1993 as aUNESCO World Heritage Site.In 2019, Matera was designated as theEuropean Capital of Culture.
Seaside tourism is mainly concentrated inMaratea, nicknamed "The Pearl of Tyrrhenian Sea",but also theIoniancoast (Policoro,Pisticci,Bernalda,Nova Siri) is fairly developed. Naturalistic attractions includePollino, that hosts thelargest national parkin Italy,Dolomiti lucaneandVulture.The New York Timesranked Basilicata third in its list of "52 Places to Go in 2018", describing it as "Italy's best-kept secret".
Basilicata has a variety of archeological sites containing traces of Prehistoric, Greek, Roman and Jewish heritage:
Basilicata hosts a series of religious structures. TheAbbey of Santissima Trinità, Venosa, is one of the most representative, which includes marks of Roman, early Christian, Romanesque, Lombard and Norman origin. It was chosen by Robert Guiscard as theHauteville family's burial (and he himself will be later buried there too).Other relevant religious buildings are:
Of many castles that existed in the region, mostly isolated towers and ruins have survived. TheMelfi castleis perhaps the most iconic, where important events from the Middle Age took place, such as the five councils between the Normans and the Catholic Church and theconstitutions of Melfipromulgated by Frederick II. The Malconsiglio castle,Miglionico, hosted theconspiracy of the BaronsagainstFerrante of Aragon.
Among the other best preserved castles of the region are:
Basilicata has many small and picturesque villages, nine of them have been selected byI Borghi più belli d'Italia(English:The most beautiful Villages of Italy),a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest,that was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.
However, they have to face depopulation problems, while others such asCracoandCampomaggioresaw their old sites abandoned due to natural disasters. Nonetheless, filmmakers, writers and musicians have contributed to give a boost to the rebirth of Craco, making it one of the most popularghost townsin the world.
Other historical and distinctive villages are:
Cave paintingswere found in the Tuppo dei Sassi site (or Ranaldi shelter, after its discoverer Francesco Ranaldi, archaeologist and museum director), a prehistoric site in theFilianoterritory, considered the oldest artistic trace in Basilicata. During theGreek colonisationera, artists like thePisticci Painterand theAmykos Painteroperated in the area ofMetapontoaround the 5th century BC. Metaponto is one of the largest and earliest Greek centres of vase painting in Italy;theLucanian vase paintingbegan around 430 BC, with the works of the Pisticci Painter. In theArmentoarea theKritonios Crownand theArmento Riderwere found, now exposed inMunichandLondonrespectively.
TheJewish catacombs of Venosaare cited among the most significant signs of the Jewish presence in southern Italy.Around the 7th century,basilian monkssettled in Basilicata, leaving a high concentration ofrupestrian churches(155 ascertained today), in Matera, Pollino and theAgriandSinniValleys.Frescoes from theAngevin periodcan be found in theAbbey of the Santissima Trinitàof Venosa, the Rupestrian churches of S. Mary of the Valley in Matera, S. Antuono inOppido Lucano, S. Lucia inRapollaand S. Margherita inMelfi.
The stone Nativity scene byAltobello Persio(1534) in theMatera Cathedralis an early example ofRenaissance artin the region. Later Basilicata saw the imported and imitated art phenomenon with artists such asGiovanni BelliniandCima da Conegliano, andFlemish paintingbyDirck Hendricksz,Guglielmo Borremans,Aert Mijtensamong the others. Local painters such asGiovanni De Gregorio,Andrea MiglionicoandCarlo Sellittohad a Neapolitan school background. Analleged portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, dating back to the 1500s, was discovered in 2008, today exhibited in the Museo delle Antiche genti di Lucania,Vaglio.
Some artists from the 19th century includeVincenzo Marinelli,Giacomo Di ChiricoandMichele Tedesco. Several contemporary artists gained fame outside Italy, among them are worth to mentionMarino Di Teana,Eugenio SantoroandJoseph Stella, sometimes cited as the firstfuturistpainter in America.During his exile under thefascist regime,Carlo Levi, a painting passionate, left many works, today exposed in Matera.
Although Basilicata hosted classical composers such asCarlo GesualdoandEgidio Romualdo Duni, the region is primarily identified in popular music, which reflects the humble living conditions of its inhabitants. Thearpa viggianese(commonly known asarpicedda) is a typical harp fromViggianoof average size, with a thin and light structure that makes it easier to carry; it was the distinctive instrument ofstreet musiciansfrom theVal d'Agriarea in the past centuries, who wandered around the world and many of whom were admitted tosymphony orchestras. Today, Viggiano is remembered as the "City of Harp and Music".Other traditional instruments arecupa cupa,zampognaandciaramella.
During the emigration wave of the late 19th century, some composers gained recognition inNorth America:Leonardo De Lorenzo, flautist of several Americanphilharmonic orchestrasand professor at theEastman School of Music, regarded as one of the most eminent flute pedagogues of the 1900s;Carlo Curti, who helped to popularize the mandolin in the United States and Mexico, and founder of theOrquestra Típica Mexicana, considered the "predecessor of theMariachibands".Comedy duoLyons and Yoscobecame popular for their million-sellingragtimepiece "Spaghetti Rag".
Modern pop artists such asMangoandArisaachieved great success in the Italian music scene. Since the mid-1990s, Basilicata hosts theAgglutination Metal Festival, one of the most long-livedheavy metalevents in Europe.
Since thepost–World War IIera, Basilicata has become a set for many national and international film productions.Materais the most coveted film location, especially for biblical-themed movies, being often compared with the ancientJerusalem.Other locations include theghost townofCraco,MelfiandMaratea. The region hosted, among the others, the filming ofIl Demonio(1963),The Gospel According to St. Matthew(1964),Christ Stopped at Eboli(1979),I'm Not Scared(2003),The Passion of the Christ(2004),The Omen(2006),Quantum of Solace(2008),Wonder Woman(2017),No Time to Die(2021).
Some actors and film directors are from Basilicata, most notablyRobert G. Vignola, a prominent figure of thesilent era,Pasquale Festa Campanile, associated with thecommedia all'italianagenre,Ruggero Deodato, known for hishorror filmssuch as the controversialCannibal Holocaust.Tanio Boccia,Rocco Papaleo,Antonio Gerardi,Antonio Petrocelli,Alessandra Di Sanzoare other notable personalities in the Italian movie industry.
The local cuisine is mostly based onporkandsheep meat,legumes,cereals,vegetablesandtubers. It is commonly referred to ascucina povera(Italianfor 'cuisine of the poor'), deeply anchored in peasant traditions. Bread crumb is considered a poor-man's cheese substitute, sprinkled over pasta dishes and used as a seasoning for meat and vegetables.Horseradishis often used as a spice and condiment, which is referred to as "poor man's truffle".Thepeperone crusco(PAT) is a specialty of the regional cuisine, sometimes labeled as "the red gold of Basilicata".It is the dried form of thepeperone di Senise(PGI), one of the most popular Italian pepper varieties.Traditional recipes include pasta dishes likepasta con i peperoni cruschiandtumact me tulez, and main courses such asrafanata,acquasale.Pastizzandfalagoneare commonstreet foods.
Basilicata is best known for theLucanica di Picerno(PGI) pork sausage that derives fromlucanica, an ancient recipe originated before theRoman empire.Pane di Matera(PGI) is a type of bread recognizable for its intense flavour and conical shape, as well as long preservation.Other principal products are cheeses likepecorino di Filiano(PDO),canestrato di Moliterno(PGI),padraccio(PAT) andtreccia dura(PAT); vegetables likemelanzana rossa di Rotonda(PDO); and legumes likefagiolo di Sarconi(PGI) andfagiolo bianco di Rotonda(PDO). The region is also known for its naturally sparklingmineral waterthat springs from the streams ofMount Vulture.Alcoholic beverages includeAglianico del Vulture, considered one of Italy's top red wines,andAmaro Lucanoliqueur.