Campania: History

Question 1

Who are some of the ancients contributors to viticulture and winemaking in Campania that influenced the wines of today?

Answer 1

Some of the wines made today follow precedents set by the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans more than 2,000 years ago.

Notable examples are:
* Falerno del Massico
* Asprinio di Aversa
* Vesuvio
* Campi Flegrei
* Ischia

Question 2

How is it that Campania is one of the most dynamic wine regions of Italy today?

Answer 2

It is experiencing a wine renaissance. A new generation of impassioned producers have embraced ancient terroirs such as volcanic Vesuvio and Campe Flegrei as well as the area surrounding the massif of Massico (home of ancient Falernum).
Many winegrowing areas are just now beginning to be understood and fully explored

Question 3

How is it that Campania is a virtual kaleidoscope of grapes and winestyles?

Answer 3

Each of it’s wine districts boasts its own range of distinctive wines.

Question 4

Campania (and Napoli in particular) boasts one of the most ancient and richest food cultures in Italy. What are some of the most popular and universally recognized Italian dishes?

Answer 4

• pizza
• mozzarella di bufala
• various pastas

Question 5

What was Magna Graecia?

Answer 5

This translates to “Great Greece”. Campania was one of the most important centers of the group of Greek colonies established in southern Italy.
In fact, Campania turned out to be a fulcrum of Hellenic culture for all of central and southern Italy.

Question 6

What did the Greeks contribute to the region of Campania?

Answer 6

They were instrumental in developing viticulture and winemaking in this region. They brought viticulture and winemaking expertise and instituted the practice of low bush-trained vine.

Question 7

When did the Etruscans enter Campania?

Answer 7

During the 7th century BC, they expanded into certain areas of central Campania and founded the city of Capua (among others).

Question 8

What did the Etruscans contribute to the region of Campania?

Answer 8

Having had a strong viticultural tradition, they trained their vines up trees.
For centuries, the viticulture of this region was characterized by the duality of Greek and Etruscan influence.

Question 9

During the times of the Greeks and Etruscans, which other peoples inhabited Campania?

Answer 9

A large part of the remaining territory was occupied by indigenous tribes such as the Osci and Samnites.
The Samnites occupied portions of inland areas of this region and had settlements over a large section of southern Italy as well.
Starting in the 5th century BC, the Samnites pushed to the coastal areas of the region and conquered Capua and Cumae. They took control of much of the region at the expense of the Greeks and Etruscans.

Question 10

When did the Roman Republic begin to take interest in Campania?

Answer 10

In the 4th century BC.
Between the 4th & 3rd centuries BC, they fought three Samnite wars - made famous by the toughness of the opposition.
Rome prevailed and the region was incorporated into the Roman Republic.

Question 11

How did Campania fair during the Roman period?

Answer 11

This region became one of the wealthiest in the Mediterranean, thanks to its fertile agricultural land and prosperous sea commerce.
The Romans further developed and improved existing viticulture and winemaking practices. They considered this to be one of the best wine producing regions of antiquity.

Question 12

Which highly reputed wines during the Roman period graced the tables of Roman Emperors, noble partricians and senators?

Answer 12

• Vesuvio
• Campi Flegrei
• Falernum from Monte Massico

Question 13

What major historical incident occurred in Campania in 79 AD?

Answer 13

An eruption of the Vesuvio volcano wiped out the cities of Pompei and Ercolano.
Among the thousands of casualties, the illustrious Latin author and naturalist Pliny the Elder also perished.

Question 14

In Campania, which is one of Italy’s most visited sites and is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

Answer 14

The archeological site of Pompei, largely preserved under layers of ash and volcanic material, an astonishing example of an ancient Roman city.

Question 15

What happened in Campania after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD?

Answer 15

The region was invaded and ruled by the Ostrogoths and then the Byzantines (Eastern Roman Empire).
During the 6th century AD, it was taken over by the Lombards.
Viticulture declined following the barbarian invasions and slumbered for centuries.

Question 16

Who conquered Campania in the 11th century?

Answer 16

Fragile and divided, the region was easily conquered by the Normans of northern France.
By the 12th century, almost all of the region (as well as the entire southern Italian peninsula) was under Norman rule as the Kingdom of Sicily.

Question 17

What happened in Campania over the next 500 years following the Normans?

Answer 17

The region experienced frequent and abrupt regime changes until the Spanish Bourbon dynasty brought relative stability to the region in the 18th century.
The Bourbons established the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, incorporating the region and the rest of southern Italy (including Sicilia).

Question 18

When was Campania and the Kingdom of Two Sicilies incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy?

Answer 18

1861

Question 19

How did viticulture fair in Campania between the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century?

Answer 19

Viticulture went through a prosperous period of development.
The region (particularly the historic Irpinia sub-region) began to produce large quantities of bulk red wine that was exported to satisfy the demand from European wine regions affected by phylloxera.

Question 20

How was Campania affected by phylloxera?

Answer 20

This louse arrived to the region much later - in the 1930s.
Only the sandiest volcanic areas were spared while the rest had to face the destructive consequences.

Question 21

How did Campania fair under Italy’s political unification?

Answer 21

Unfortunately, this proved to by difficult for this region which found itself unable to fit into the newly established government.
The Kingdom of Italy imposed rigid laws.
With the exception of Napoli and some coastal areas, most of the region went through a deep and prolonged period of economic crisis (made even worse by two world wars).
This caused massive emigration.
Vineyards were abandoned.

Question 22

When did things improve in Campania after the world wars?

Answer 22

Things gradually improved in the 1950s thanks to government efforts to develop and stimulate the economy of southern Italy.

Question 23

What terrible incident occurred in Campania in the 1980s?

Answer 23

A terrible earthquake devastated the Irpinia sub-region and damaged several other areas as well. Reconstruction was slow and difficult.
However, through it, a new generation of wine producers emerged which ultimately led to the remarkable rebirth that this region’s wine industry has experienced these past 25 years.

Question 24

Why is Vesuvio one of the most studied and monitored volcanos on earth?

Answer 24

It (along with Etna in Sicilia) is among the most active and widely feared volcanos in Europe.
There are a large number of people who live midst the foothills of this volcano.
And it has a history of destructive eruptions.