Oppido Mamertina
Encyclopedia
Oppido Mamertina is a town and comune
of the province of Reggio Calabria
in Calabria
in southern Italy at about 62 kilometres northeast of Reggio Calabria
and about 120 kilometres southwest of Catanzaro.
It is the seat of the Diocese of Oppido Mamertina.
The municipality includes the following boroughs (frazioni): Castellace, Messignadi, Piminoro, and Tresilico.
, meaning citadel
) is 1040, during the Byzantine Era.
The town is famous for its prolonged resistance before falling to Roger the Norman
in 1056.
On February 5, 1783 an earthquake
completely destroyed the town killing 1,198 people. The town was rebuilt near the neighbouring village Tresilico (incorporated in the municipality in 1927). Other earthquakes hit the town in 1894 and on December 28, 1908, which destroyed the neighbouring township Castellace.
are also sources of income.
-type criminal organisation based in Calabria. Several powerful criminal clans originate from the town, such as the Mammoliti
-Rugolo.
to escape the extreme poverty.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of the province of Reggio Calabria
Province of Reggio Calabria
The Province of Reggio Calabria is a province in the Calabria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Reggio., it has an area of 3,183 km², and a total population of 565,866. There are 97 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Reggio Calabria.- Economy :The region is...
in Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
in southern Italy at about 62 kilometres northeast of Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
and about 120 kilometres southwest of Catanzaro.
It is the seat of the Diocese of Oppido Mamertina.
The municipality includes the following boroughs (frazioni): Castellace, Messignadi, Piminoro, and Tresilico.
History
The ancient history of the town is largely unknown, but archeological excavations in Mella might point its origins to the mythical Mamerto (3rd century BC – 1st century AD). The first mention of the town (Oppidium in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, meaning citadel
Citadel
A citadel is a fortress for protecting a town, sometimes incorporating a castle. The term derives from the same Latin root as the word "city", civis, meaning citizen....
) is 1040, during the Byzantine Era.
The town is famous for its prolonged resistance before falling to Roger the Norman
Roger I of Sicily
Roger I , called Bosso and the Great Count, was the Norman Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.-Conquest of Calabria and Sicily:...
in 1056.
On February 5, 1783 an earthquake
1783 Calabrian earthquakes
The 1783 Calabrian earthquakes were a sequence of five strong earthquakes that hit the region of Calabria in southern Italy , the first two of which produced significant tsunamis. The epicenters form a clear alignment extending nearly 100 km from the Straits of Messina to about 18 km SSW...
completely destroyed the town killing 1,198 people. The town was rebuilt near the neighbouring village Tresilico (incorporated in the municipality in 1927). Other earthquakes hit the town in 1894 and on December 28, 1908, which destroyed the neighbouring township Castellace.
Economy
The economy is based on agriculture, in particular olive groves and the production of olive oil, as well citrus orchards in the plain. Forestry and sheep husbandrySheep husbandry
Sheep husbandry is a subcategory of animal husbandry specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk or to sell to other farmers.-Shelter and...
are also sources of income.
Crime
The town is home to the 'Ndrangheta, a MafiaMafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
-type criminal organisation based in Calabria. Several powerful criminal clans originate from the town, such as the Mammoliti
Mammoliti 'ndrina
The Mammoliti 'ndrina is a powerful clan of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina is based in Castellace and Oppido Mamertina in the plain of Gioia Tauro in southern Calabria on the Tyrrhenian coast. The clan is considered to be one of the more...
-Rugolo.
Demographic evolution
The population halved during the last century. Many inhabitants moved to the industrial centres in northern Italy or joined the Italian diasporaItalian diaspora
The term Italian diaspora refers to the large-scale migration of Italians away from Italy in the period roughly beginning with the unification of Italy in 1861 and ending with the Italian economic miracle in the 1960s...
to escape the extreme poverty.
Notable people
- Saverio MammolitiSaverio MammolitiSaverio Mammoliti , also known as Saro, is a 'Ndrangheta boss from Oppido Mamertina and Castellace in Calabria. In 2003, he became a pentito when he decided to collaborate with Italian justice...
(born 1942), 'Ndrangheta boss - Candido Zerbi (1827–1889), politician and senator