Siponto
Encyclopedia
Siponto was an ancient port town of Apulia
in southern Italy
. The town was abandoned after earthquakes in the 13th century; today the area is administered as a frazione
of the comune
of Manfredonia
, in the province of Foggia
. Siponto is located around 3 km south of Manfredonia.
ic hero of the same name with the daughter of the king of the Dauni. Siponto was probably founded by the Dauni.
Sipontum was a flourishing Greek colony; having fallen into the hands of the Samnites, it was retaken about 335 B. C. by King Alexander of Epirus, uncle of Alexander the Great. In 189 B. C. it became a Roman
colony, and in A. D. 663 it was taken and destroyed by the Slavs.
In the ninth century, Sipontum was for a time in the power of the Saracens; ln 1042 the Normans made it the seat of one of their twelve counties. The latter won a decisive victory there over the Byzantine general Argyrus in 1052.
According to legend, the Gospel was preached at Sipontum by Saint Peter
and by Saint Mark; more trust, however, may be placed in the tradition of the martyrdom of the priest Saint Justin
and his companions under Gallienus
and Maximian
about 255. The first bishop whose date may be fixed, was Felix, who was at Rome
in 465. In the time of Bishop Lawrence
, during the reign of Pope Gelasius I
(492-496), there took place on Monte Gargano
the apparition of Saint Michael, in memory of which the famous Monastery of the Archangel
was founded.
About 688 Pope Vitalian
was obliged to entrust to the bishops of Benevento
the pastoral care of Sipontum, which was almost abandoned, but the see was re-established in 1034, and under Bishop Saint Gerard
(1066) it became an archdiocese. The ancient cathedral remained still at Sipontum, but, with the building of Manfredonia
by King Manfred of Sicily
, who decided to rebuild Siponto in a new location, the archiepiscopal see was transferred to the latter city.
Michael of Zahumlje on 10 July 926 sacked Siponto, which was a Byzantine
town in Apulia
. It remains unknown did he done this by Tomislav's supreme command as suggested by some historians. Apparently, Tomislav sent the Croatian navy under the Micheal's leadership to drive the Saracen
s from that part of southern Italy
and free the city.
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The town was abandoned after earthquakes in the 13th century; today the area is administered as a frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of the comune
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 Manfredonia
Manfredonia
Manfredonia is a town and comune of Puglia, Italy, in the province of Foggia, from which it is 35 kilometres northeast by rail. Manfredonia is situated on the coast, facing east, to the south of Monte Gargano, and giving its name to the gulf to the east of it...
, in the province of Foggia
Province of Foggia
The Province of Foggia is a province in the Apulia region of Italy.This province is also known as Capitanata, originally Catapanata, because during the Middle Ages it was governed by a catapan, as part of the Catapanate of Italy...
. Siponto is located around 3 km south of Manfredonia.
History
According to legend, Sipontum was founded by Diomedes, product of the union of the HomerHomer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
ic hero of the same name with the daughter of the king of the Dauni. Siponto was probably founded by the Dauni.
Sipontum was a flourishing Greek colony; having fallen into the hands of the Samnites, it was retaken about 335 B. C. by King Alexander of Epirus, uncle of Alexander the Great. In 189 B. C. it became a Roman
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
colony, and in A. D. 663 it was taken and destroyed by the Slavs.
In the ninth century, Sipontum was for a time in the power of the Saracens; ln 1042 the Normans made it the seat of one of their twelve counties. The latter won a decisive victory there over the Byzantine general Argyrus in 1052.
According to legend, the Gospel was preached at Sipontum by Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and by Saint Mark; more trust, however, may be placed in the tradition of the martyrdom of the priest Saint Justin
Justin of Siponto
Saint Justin of Siponto, as well as Saints Florentius, Felix, and Justa, are venerated as Christian martyrs by the Catholic Church. Information about them is fragmentary but their names were inserted into various martyrologies. Tradition states that Justin was a priest and bishop, that Florentius...
and his companions under Gallienus
Gallienus
Gallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis...
and Maximian
Maximian
Maximian was Roman Emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent...
about 255. The first bishop whose date may be fixed, was Felix, who was at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 465. In the time of Bishop Lawrence
Laurence of Siponto
Laurence of Siponto, also known as Laurence Maioranus , is an Italian saint, patron of the city of Manfredonia and the Archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo. Manfredonia Cathedral is dedicated to him....
, during the reign of Pope Gelasius I
Pope Gelasius I
Pope Saint Gelasius I was pope from 492 until his death in 496. He was the third and last bishop of Rome of African origin in the Catholic Church. Gelasius was a prolific writer whose style placed him on the cusp between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages...
(492-496), there took place on Monte Gargano
Monte Gargano
Gargano is a historical and geographical Italian sub-region situated in Apulia, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland...
the apparition of Saint Michael, in memory of which the famous Monastery of the Archangel
Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo
The Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo sul Gargano, sometimes called simply Monte Gargano, is a Catholic sanctuary on Mount Gargano, Italy, part of the commune of Monte Sant'Angelo, in the province of Foggia, northern Apulia....
was founded.
About 688 Pope Vitalian
Pope Vitalian
Pope Saint Vitalianus was Pope of the Catholic Church from July 30, 657, until January 27, 672.He was born in Segni, Lazio, the son of Anastasius.-Reign:...
was obliged to entrust to the bishops of Benevento
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benevento
The Italian Catholic archdiocese of Benevento has a long history; it now has as suffragan dioceses the diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia, the diocese of Avellino, the diocese of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata de' Goti, the Territorial Abbey of Montevergine, and the archdiocese of Sant'Angelo...
the pastoral care of Sipontum, which was almost abandoned, but the see was re-established in 1034, and under Bishop Saint Gerard
Saint Gerard
-People:*Gerard of Brogne , abbot in Belgium*Gerard of Toul , bishop of Toul, now in France*Gerard Sagredo , bishop of Budapest*Gerard of Potenza , bishop of Potenza in Italy*Gerard of Clairvaux , French monk...
(1066) it became an archdiocese. The ancient cathedral remained still at Sipontum, but, with the building of Manfredonia
Manfredonia
Manfredonia is a town and comune of Puglia, Italy, in the province of Foggia, from which it is 35 kilometres northeast by rail. Manfredonia is situated on the coast, facing east, to the south of Monte Gargano, and giving its name to the gulf to the east of it...
by King Manfred of Sicily
Manfred of Sicily
Manfred was the King of Sicily from 1258 to 1266. He was a natural son of the emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen but his mother, Bianca Lancia , is reported by Matthew of Paris to have been married to the emperor while on her deathbed.-Background:Manfred was born in Venosa...
, who decided to rebuild Siponto in a new location, the archiepiscopal see was transferred to the latter city.
Michael of Zahumlje on 10 July 926 sacked Siponto, which was a Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
town in Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
. It remains unknown did he done this by Tomislav's supreme command as suggested by some historians. Apparently, Tomislav sent the Croatian navy under the Micheal's leadership to drive the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s from that part of southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and free the city.