Many scholars’
opinions differ about Alba origin, if it’s marsa or aequa,
but Livio put it into the Aequis’ territory. This proud and
military strong people built on the hill an “oppidum”,
dominating all the surrounding valleys. Because of its
location romans tried to conquer it for their expansion in
the central Italy. After many battles the Aequi were
defeated and massacred. so, around 303 b.C. Alba Fucens,
under the Lucio Genucio and Servio Cornelio’s consulate ,
became one of the most important latin colonies. The primary
importance role of Alba in militari strategies in central
Italy is given by the presence of 6000 settlers sent by
Rome, as Tito Livio (IX, 43,25) says: “Soram atque Albam
coloniae deductae. Albam in equos sex milia colonorum
scripta”. The settlers presence and the Rome esteem towards
this imposing city will make, between them, a very strong
bond, that will lead alba to demonstrate an absolute loyalty
to Rome. during the first years of the IIIrd century b.C. a
dreadful coalition (Etruscans, Umbrians, Samnites and
Gallics) aimed at Rome. The inhabitants of Alba and the
neighbouring populations joined forces with Rome, so there
was the victory of Sentium (295 b.c.). during the Punic
Wars, Hannibal, with his armies, penetrated into the heart
of central Italy and led a march towards Rome, being far all
consular armies. So Rome asked for help to the near colonies
and Alba, giving signs of its loyalty, sent 2000 men to
contrast the Hannibal’s advance, marking his withdrawal
towards south (211 b.c.). At the end of the second Punic
War, Siface, Numidians’ king, was taken and carried to the
prison of Alba (203 b.c.). Same destiny was to Perseus of
Macedony (168 b.c.) and to Bituito, king of Avernus (168
b.c.). History tells as Alba was used like a place of the
dethroned kings’ detention. During the Social Wars Alba is
always loyal to Rome, holding out against the rebellious
members assaults. at the end of the war, with the
application of the Lex Iulia Municipalis de Civitate danda,
the city, as all Italy, obtained the municipal regulations
and the roman citizenship. In the battles between Marius and
Silla (88 - 82 b.c.) Alba took sides with Marius, while in
the civil war between Pompeus and Caesar (49 - 45 b.c.) the
Pompeus’ armies, staying at alba, deliberately passed to
Caesar‘s side. During the imperial time alba lives a great
economical prosperity period. In these years public and
private monuments are embellished and modernized, while new
buildings are built. All this welfare was due to the
economic growing that led to the lake Fucino draining. The
colony crisis and decline start in the IIIrd century A.D.
and get worse in the IVth century owing to some seismical
events and to frequent barbarian invasions, causing the
progressive desertion of the city. In the IXth cen., because
of the feudal battlements case, the built-up area is on the
acropolis where a medieval village is setting up round the
castle.
MEDIOEVAL
HISTORY
The decline of Alba as a Latin colony coincides with the
decline of the Roman Empire. Among the various causes of
course there were the barbarian invasions, the collapse of
the Roman administration and the army provincialisation
but also the lack of maintenance, resulting in flooding of
the land reclamation from the Fucino by Claudius, and the
impossibility of reconstruct the buildings collapsed due
to earthquakes.Thus began the period of the movement of
people of the country to places higher and defended,
perhaps more distant from the main road, which had
resulted in the greatness of Rome and now instead favored
the barbarians in achieving great strategic centers such
as Alba. This moment defined, along with the demographic
decline of the sixth century. AD, the abandonment of the
central zone of Alba, which is complete in the XI century.
with the arrival of the Saracens, and the build of the
medieval village on the height of the main hill of S.
Nicholas, where the castle was built. With the arrival of
the Lombards this area was annexed to the steward of
Spoleto (in Tagliacozzo in a building are still visible
emblems).With Ludwig II Alba became a county, under the
Counts of the Marsi with Berardo I, said "The Franciscus."
In 1173 became the Earl of Albe Rugerio. Later the village
was destroyed by Charles D 'Anjou in the field of events
that followed the battle against Conrad of Swabia, which
took place in the plans Palentini, that is, on the slopes
to the south-west of the hill. After this event Alba
actually began to lose importance as a center of the Marsi
and its territories are disputed between the great
families of Colonna and Orsini. In fact, by the Countess
of Gravina, Giovanna Durazzo, who was in possession of the
county (1372), passed to the Orsini which they
reconstructed many of the damaged buildings.Subsequently,
the county was given by Queen Giovanna II to the brother
of Pope Martin V, Lorenzo Colonna (1428). Eight years
later the territories passed to James Caldora, to return
again to the Colonna to which, however, were replaced
again with Giovanni Antonio Orsini in 1441. During this
time the Orsini moved the centers of interest of the Marsi
by Albe in Tagliacozzo and Celano, enriching the latter
both economically and culturally, neglecting more and more
Alba, who stifled by these new realities, will not
participate in the ever resurrect that has affected
several centers in the Renaissance.With the establishment
of the Bourbon Kingdom, are shifted axes commercial land
tract of wool, depleting not only Albe, but all the
central band is also outside of this trade for the
emergence of the phenomenon of brigandage which would last
until the beginning the early decades of the twentieth
century .. The end of the medieval village was
determined by the 1915 earthquake, which surprises in the
morning of January 13 the inhabitants, killing people and
reducing the country to a pile of rubble.Today, the
village is still a heap of ruins, although some buildings
such as the church of S. Nicola and the castle of the
Orsini stand out particularly well, however, lately, a
small part of it has been restored.
MODERN
HISTORY
After the
catastrophe of 1915 were erected in the courtyard of S.
Maria (below the slopes of the hill St. Peter), the wooden
barracks for the earthquake victims. After a few years the
civil engineering built with government subsidies, the
mansion stable seismic within the Roman city walls,
forming a sort of horseshoe around the "plan civita."
Having been the town devoid of public buildings were made
of the projects for the new parish church.The first dates
back to 1921, from eng. Bultrini, which provided a
building with a nave and two aisles instead of one, and
without the reuse of recovered items from the rubble of
the earthquake, including the rose window and was
therefore rejected. Later, in 1935, a new project was
presented, signed by the surveyor Colabianchi, and the
engineer Amorosi, that following the directions of the
Superintendent and the new anti-seismic building
standards, built the church into a nave, front elevation
similar to the one destroyed (Aquilans Romanesque),
inserted with the rose window and the original portal of
the old church of S. Nicola.During the Second World War
Alba proved, as in the rest of its history, a strategic
point. In 1943, Field Marshal Kesselring puts the control
of the Gustav line in Massa D'Albe (the present town of
Alba which is a fraction). In Alba Fucens on the "north
terrace" (likely the campus of the ancient city) was
placed the flak. After the war ended with the victory of
the Allies, was repealed the law imposed by Mussolini that
prevented emigration and the country began to lose
population.In 1949, a Belgian archaeological mission began
an excavation campaign carried on for about thirty years.
They were brought to light, the plan civita, where they
were concentrated public buildings of the Roman city, and
the amphitheater. These excavations that could represent a
real opportunity for tourism development, with the
consequent arrival of the economic well-being for the
people, instead turned out to be a conviction for the
Albensi since the constraints archaeological often overly
restrictive, prevented a minimal urban development of the
new Alba. All this led in time to a further depletion of
the country. The year 1957 saw the restoration of the
Romanesque church of S. Peter. The work carried out by the
Superintendency were directed by the architect De Logu.
Today Alba, re-emerging from the mists of the past,
gracious and inviting hosts about 40,000 visitors a year,
leaving each one an unforgettable experience.
TRADITIONS
The traditions of Alba Fucens are numerous and for the
most part related to the religious aspect. The most famous
is "The Feast of SS. Relics": this is divided into Big and
Small Relics.
SMALL RELICS
The day of the Little Relics, is celebrated at St. Stephen
(26 December). During the day you extract the names of the
"festaroli" who will carry the celebration of the Great
Relics on Easter Monday. This comes after the rite of S.
Mass, which is conducive to the random choice of the
people, as well as to the success of the future party.
BIG RELICS
The day of "Easter Monday", is the feast of SS. Relics,
called the Great Relics. The festival opens with the
traditional fireworks' artifice, lay wreaths to the
fallen, and the S. Mass. It starts with the procession of
the statues of saints venerated in the place and the
relics preserved in their reliquaries, which starts from
the parish church of S. Nicholas, also reusing an ancient
Roman road, reach the church of S. Peter, where it is
celebrated the function.
After the homily, the solemn blessing is done with the SS.
Relics. These relics were until the earthquake of 1915,
enclosed in precious reliquaries that were donated to the
town of Alba from Queen Giovanna II of Naples, which being
passing through this place, was so fascinated that he
thought of leaving some of his possessions, giving
precisely the reliquaries and other objects of sacred
furniture of great value. The list of relics and their
reliquaries included among the other:
a Byzantine silver triptych depicting Jesus' in the arms
of Our Lady, whose halo was adorned with precious stones;
a silver cross, known as the four evangelists; another
triptych of the Madonna and the saints around in ivory,
encased in a leather case; a box square carved in wood,
depicting mermaids, centaurs and eagles; a piece of S.S.
Cross; a finger of S. Sebastian; some stones that stoned
St. Stefano; a circle of gold said to S. Louis IX; some
relics of gold plates; a painting of the Virgin Mary, very
miraculous and many other relics. After the earthquake of
1915, the most precious relics were brought to the Palazzo
Venezia in Rome and today some of them are on display in
the castle of Celano. Nevertheless Alba remain thirty
relics "minor".
After the celebration of Mass, the procession returns to
the church of S. Nicola, however, before returning we are
witnessing the spectacle of fireworks.After the binge
dinner, the party continues. In the afternoon popular
games are held in the square, music and dance. Rounding
out the festival, the fireworks end.
THE EPIPHANY
On January 6, the Epiphany is celebrated. The feast, of
course, is devoted almost exclusively to children, who
will spend an afternoon dedicated to Christmas games such
as bingo, the settemmezzo, etc ... but let's not forget
the game proposed by the witch herself.
S. ANTONIO ABATE
On 17 January is celebrated one of the most popular saints
of the place:
S. Antonio Abate. Alba, in his huge artistic
heritage has preserved an ancient wooden figurine,
of inestimable value, which belonged to the church
of S. Antonio, which was destroyed by the 1915
earthquake. This statue for centuries, each year is
assigned to one of the local families. This event takes
place precisely on the day of St. Antonio and festarolo,
the person that is receiving the statue, will offer
libations in honor of the saint, to the whole country.
THE FEAST OF ZITELLE
It is combined with festaggiamenti of Our Lady of Sorrows
who use the second Sunday of October. Once again, the
feast is linked to a sacred object, the picture of Our
Lady of Sorrows. It is called the Feast of spinsters
because the picture can be hosted only by unmarried
people. The picture is taken in procession to the church,
where the old festarola (which has the obligation to
organize a lunch to give a final farewell to the Virgin
Mary, of course, also inviting the new festarola) will
return it to new chosen, which will bring the picture at
home. The whole people who will visit the house host the
picture, will sing along with the festarola the litany in
honor of Our Lady. Once you have worthily honored the
Blessed Virgin there will be a reception offered by the
festarola.
LITTLE BREAD OF S. NICHOLAS
The December 6, is celebrated the patron saint of the
country. The distribution of bread from the priest to the
inhabitants dates back to medieval times when it picked up
the offerings and donations of believers. The priest
thanked the faithful giving the bread blessed on the day
of the saint, after St. Mass.
NOT RELIGIOUS FEASTS
During the summer, Alba, like all the small villages of
Abruzzo, is repopulated and is full of tourists. For them
and for anyone who wants to have fun and enjoy themselves
a little', local authorities and the cooperative Alba
Fucens organize: sports days, cultural shows in the
amphitheater, local shows in the streets, festivals and
various events...
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