Province of Avellino

The Province of Avellino (Italian: Provincia di Avellino) is a province in the Campania region of Southern Italy. The area is characterized by numerous small towns and villages scattered across the province; only two towns have a population over 20,000: its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino.

Geography

It has an area of 2,792 square kilometres (1,078 sq mi) and a total population of 427,310 in 2012. There are 119 comuni in the province. See Comuni of the Province of Avellino.

It is an inner province, with no connection to the sea.

History

The ancient name of the area was "Hirpinia" (modern Italian: Irpinia), derived from the Oscan term hirpus ("wolf"), an animal that is still present in the territory, though in greatly reduced numbers.

In the medieval Kingdom of Naples (later Kingdom of Two Sicilies) the provincial area roughly corresponded to the Principato Ultra, though some places were included in Capitanata or Principato Citra. The modern province was established in 1860, after the unification of Italy.

Avellino

Avellino [avelˈliːno]  listen  is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 kilometres (26 mi) northeast of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.

History

Before the Roman conquest, the ancient Abellinum was a centre of the Samnite Hirpini, located on the Civita hill some 4 kilometres (2 mi) outside the current town, in what is now Atripalda. The city could correspond to the ancient Velecha, documented by coins found in the area. Abellinum was conquered by the Romans in 293 BC, changing name several times in the following centuries (Veneria, Livia, Augusta, Alexandriana, and Abellinatium). However, the edification of a true Roman town occurred only after the conquest by Lucius Cornelius Sulla in 89 BC.

The town was Christianized around 500 AD, becoming an episcopal seat. There followed the invasions of the Goths and Vandals. After the Lombard conquest of southern Italy, the ancient city was abandoned (it is disputed if completely or partly), and a new settlement grew on the Terra hill, corresponding to the modern Avellino. Defended by a castle, it became part of the Duchy (later Principality) of Benevento and, after the latter's fall, of the Principality of Salerno.

Avellino (disambiguation)

Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy.

Avellino may also refer to:

Avellino (surname)

Avellino is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: