HISTORY OF ALBA FUCENS



ROMAN HISTORY

MEDIOEVAL HISTORY

MODERN HISTORY

TRADITIONS


ROMAN HISTORY


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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