A BIT OF HISTORY

Since prehistoric times, the area between Cairano and the Conza Saddle has been an important transit point that connects the valleys of the Ofanto and Sele rivers thus uniting the Adriatic and Tyrrenian coasts. From its high point, the town dominates the river and controls its valley (1-6).

The area on which is located Cairano today must have been inhabited at least since the beginning of the first millenium b.C. In fact, archeological excavations in the localities of Vignale, Serra and Cannelicchio have uncovered abitations and necropolises that date from the beginning of the IX century b.C. to the VI century b.C. They are part of the so-called Cairano-Oliveto Culture. The necropolises are characterized by Fossakultur tombs that are the oldest in Campania. The burial items found in the tombs consist of bronze and iron objects, impasto earthenware produced locally, ionic type ceramics, and painted ceramics produced in the nearby regions of Lucania and Apulia. Today, the necropolises are not visible because they were covered up after the research excavations. Items found in these excavations are now in Avellino, Battipaglia and Salerno Museums.

Conza, probably because located lower in the valley and closer to the river, has always been the most important center of the area. Cairano was part of its territory and has followed its historical vicissitudes. In fact, according to tradition, at one point Rome placed in Cairano, which then was called Castellum or Castrum Carissanum, a military detachment in defense of the city of Conza. Cairano must still have been a military Castrum during the Lombard period, it was certainly part of the Diocese of Conza as indicated in a document of 1096, and until 1676 was part of the fief of Conza. In 1676 it became a fief in its own right, and remained so until 1837, when feudalism was eliminated.

Today, Cairano is a small agricultural town. It still maintains its characteristic narrow streets and architecture. The earthquake of 1980 destroyed or damaged more than 90% of the buildings. However, by great fortune, there were only very few and light injuries and no deaths. The town has been almost completely rebuilt maintaining the original planimetry.

 

History and Myth

History
In Book II-67 of his Naturalis Historia, Pliny the Elder tells us that when Lucius Paulus and Caius Marcellus were consuls "wool rained at Castellum Carissanum where the following year Annius Milo was killed." Pliny does not explain what this means, but this represents the first historical mention of Cairano.

Caesar, in his De Bello Civile (Book III - 22), tells us that Milo, who was a Pompey supporter in the civil war, "opened some prisons and attacked Compsa in the territory of the Hirpini. While here with a legion of praetor Q. Pedius.....Milo was killed by a stone thrown from a wall" .

That Milo died near Conza is confirmed by Velleius Paterculus in his "History of Rome" published in 30 A.D. (Book II - 68.3)

In 1096, Pope Urbanus II sent a bulla to Alphanus, archbishop of Salerno, which discusses the Diocese of Conza and the churches that are part of it. Listed in this document are Castellum Carissanum and its parish church. Finally, on one of the maps in the Gallery of Maps of the Vatican Museum, which were completed in 1583, the name of the town is written as Cairano, as indicated below. This figure shows also some interesting details. First, Calitri is written Calitro. Second, Conza is larger than the other two names, probably because it was the bishop's see. Third, Calitro and Cairano are in the valley. Finally, the names are written to be read from Rome, not the way the are written on modern maps.

 

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Part of a map of the Galley of Maps in the Vatican Museum

What can we conclude from these historical informations? First, that Milo died around 50 B.C. near Conza. Second that the name Carissanum for a place near Conza of the Hirpini (that is, today's Cairano) appears for the first time in a document at least in the year 77 A.D., when the first seven books of the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder were published. Third, that the same name is still used in 1096 but becomes Cairano before 1580.

Myth
A Cairanese myth transmitted orally for centuries and only recently recorded in writing (2) explains how how Milo may have died.
A peasant woman of Carissanum, upon returning from the fields and realizing that there was no water, picked up the water barrel and went to "Pierlaripa", the fountain at the foot of the cliff outside the town that still exists today. After she filled the barrel, the woman started back home walking along the trail that climbs up toward the town. Suddenly, she first heard some strange noises coming from the direction of the fountain below, and then saw some confused shadows.

The peasant woman was alone and became somewhat scared, but instead of running away, she decided to see what was going on. To see what would happen, with her foot she pushed some rocks that were sitting at the edge of the trail, which fell down towards the fountain. When a scream came from down below, the peasant became really scared, ran to the town and gave the alarm. It appears that the rocks she had pushed down had mortally hit Milo and thrown in disarray his group of men. They were planning to attack the Castrum Carissanum but were thus stopped by a peasant woman and Milo died an inglorious death.

See the Bibliography for more information.

 

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