AMALFI
As remembered in the coat
of arms of the Municipality through the written Descendit
ex patribus romanorum Amalfi was founded by some Romans
in route for Costantinopoli. Surprised by a storm in the gulf
of Policastro they landed founding Melphe
from which they went away subsequently founding Amelphes,
meaning coming from Melfe.
In the mythology instead the birth of the village is linked
to the Hercules' lovings enterprises who
loved a woman called Amalfi who then died
very soon. The hero wanted charming place to bury her and
chose this part of the coast founding Amalfi.
The first historical testimony dates back to 533:
during the Gothic War, Narsete defeated the
Goth Teia and Amalfi passed under the dominion of the Western
Roman Empire. It then acquired importance as testified
from the fact that became episcopal center in VI cent. A.D.
but remained the center of the fights between Longobards
and Byzantins. It was in this sphere that
the last Duke of Benevento Sicardo plundered the city in 836.
As often happens from worse came the most magnificent history
of Amalfi. In few years in fact weaving relationships with
the two states (Longobard and Byzantin) and defeating
the Saracens the village managed to acquire its own
independence culminated in 850 with the proclamation
of the Republic. Command was given at the
beginning the prefects, then calls judges and finally doges,
as in the Republic of Venice.
Amalfi, even under the influence of Western Roman Empire,
was pratically independent as it demonstrated
coining its currency and issuing its laws.
Its power on the sea went increasing like its wealth until
the XI century when it passed under the administration of
the Duke of Salerno (1039)
and later under that one of Normans (1073)
called in aid of the Amalfi against Salerno.
Arrived in the history, called in aid against the Normans
also the Pisans (1135) who, betraying the
pact, plundered it.
In 1343 the city was devastated by a seaquake
that destroyed the great part of the ancient Amalfi cancelling
the splendour of the past.
The power of Amalfi on the sea sure is testified through the
Tavole Amalfitane (Amalfitane Tables). Adopted at
that time by all the seafaring nations, the Tables ruled the
relationships between shipowners, sailors and merchants.
Amalfi flourished again thanks to the first tourism
(first half 1800) and the modern one past century and of puts
into effect it them that they have rendered Amalfi the epicenter
and the towing of all the coastal Amalfitana.
Greater monument of Amalfi, after the beauty of its bay and
the sea, is the Chatedral of Sant'Andrea
in Arab-Sicialian style, with beautiful bronze portals
(1066) and a facade with mosaics reconstructed in 1861, after
a collapse. Sideways it rises the beautiful bell tower (1180).
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