Excavations atNola-Croce del Papa have uncovered extensive evidence of a small village quickly abandoned at the time of theAvellino Eruption in the 17th century BC. This powerful eruption fromMount Vesuvius caused the inhabitants to leave behind a wide range of pottery and other artefacts. The foundations of their buildings are also preserved in imprints among the mud left by the eruption.[citation needed]
Samnite soldiers from a tomb in Nola 4th century BCGreek vase showing Theseus & Prokroustes, from Nola 470–460 BC (Staatliche Antikensammlung, Munich)A 2nd-century bronzeparade mask from a Roman tomb at Nola (British Museum)[3]
Nola was one of the oldest cities ofCampania, with its mostancient coins bearing the nameNuvlana. It was later said to have been founded by theAusones, who were certainly occupying the city byc. 560 BC. It once vied in luxury withCapua.[citation needed]
During theRoman invasion of Campania in theSamnite War in 328 BC, Nola was probably occupied by theOscans in alliance with theSamnites. Nola sent 2000 troops to defendNaples against the Romans (Paleopolis/Neapolis) in 327 BC. The Romans took Nola in 313 BC after setting fire to buildings near the city walls.[4]
In 90 BC it fell by treason to the Samnites during theSocial War. In 89 BC,Sulla routed the rebel army near Pompeii, chased them to Nola and there massacred 20,000 rebels at theBattle of Nola in front of the walls,[5] starting a ten yearsiege.
It was stormed in 73-72 BC bySpartacus during his failed slave revolt.
Though a relative backwater, Nola retained its status as amunicipium, its own institutions, and the use of theOscan language. It was divided intopagi, the names of some of which are preserved:Pagus Agrifanus,Capriculanus,Lanitanus. The discoveries of the pavement of the ancient city have not been noted with sufficient care to recover most of the plan, but a large number ofGrecian vases were made at Nola, using its fine yellow clay and a shining black glaze. They are decorated with red figures.
Following therise of Christianity, it became abishopric. One bishop, the ChristiansenatorPaulinus, is traditionally credited with the introduction of the use ofbells to Christian worship.[9] His small handbells were subsequently known asnolas for his seat and the larger tower bells ascampanas from the surrounding area.[9] Revered as a saint, Paulinus'srelics turned the town into a site ofChristian pilgrimage.
Nola was sacked byAlaric in 410 and by theVandals underGaiseric in 453. It was sacked by Muslims in 806 and 904 and captured byManfred ofSicily in the 13th century. UnderCharles ofAnjou, it was held byGuy de Montfort as theCounty of Nola. It was inherited by his eldest daughter'sOrsini husband and then held by members of their family.
The1460 Battle of Nola is noteworthy for the clever stratagem by whichJohn,duke ofCalabria, defeatedFerdinand,king ofNaples, who fled the field with only 20 followers. Ferdinand, however, was supported byPope Pius II, theduke of Milan, and theAlbanian lordSkanderbeg. With his wife Isabella successfully wooing John's major supporters away, the king recovered his domain over the next decade. Nola itself subsequently lost its importance after its repeated destruction by earthquakes in the 15th and 16th centuries. The nearby Cicala Castle was the birthplace ofGiordano Bruno (b. 1548).
In 1820,General Pepe'srevolution began in Nola. The sculptorGiovanni Merliano was a native of the city; and some of his works are preserved in the cathedral.
St Thomas's (Basilica di San Tommaso; built in the 3rd century, decorated with frescoes 9–11th century, later renovated)
Other Roman ruins, including a temple to Augustus, survived as long as the 16th century, they were then plundered for building material and few signs remain. A few tombs are preserved, and results from excavations are displayed at the Archaeological Museum. Other sites include:
The passion for gladiatorial combat was at its strongest in Campania among the locals and also the army veterans. So a permanent building for these was erected, as elsewhere, in the 1st c. BC, holding 20,000 spectators. The site was just inside the northern walls where existing buildings were demolished and one side of the arena took advantage of the wall embankment. The podium was faced with sheets of white marble elaborately carved with scenes and finished at the top with a balustrade with the same stone.
It was partially rebuilt and renovated over the centuries, maybe after earthquakes. By the end of the 5th century it was abandoned and used as a quarry. The eruption ofVesuvius in the early 6th century and the subsequent flood partially buried the building and saved some of it for posterity, including marble in the process of being carried away.
Two fairs are held in Nola: one on 14 June and another on 12 November. The Festival of the Lilies (Festa dei Gigli) is held on 22 June or the Sunday beforehand, honouringSt Paulinus. It lasts seven days, until the next Sunday. Eight lilies and a boat are made of wood and covered withpapier-mache from the city's art shops. On the last day of the festival, the huge lilies are carried through the town on residents' shoulders along a route that has been followed for more than a thousand years. Each represents one of the local guilds or corporations, coming in the following order:
Greengrocers (Ortolano)
Butchers of pigs (Salumiere)
Innkeepers (Bettoliere)
Bakers (Panettiere)
Boatmakers (Barca)
Butchers of other meats (Beccaio)
Shoemakers (Calzolaio)
Smiths (Fabbro)
Dressmakers (Sarto)
Each of the organizations is responsible for one day of the festivities. The 2010 festival—along with its fellows—was nominated as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site. It is possible that the design of the gigli may have influenced the design of theWatts Towers.[14]
^Ceparano, Felice (June 15, 2014). "The Gigli of Nola during Rodia's Times". In Del Giudice, Luisa (ed.).Sabato Rodia's Towers in Watts: Art, Migrations, Development. Fordham University Press.
.jpg)
