Oria, Italy

Oria, Italy

Infobox CityIT
img_coa = Oria-stemma.png official_name = Comune di Oria
region = Apulia
province = Brindisi (BR)
elevation_m = 83
area_total_km2 = 83
population_as_of = december 31, 2004
population_total = 15414
population_density_km2 = 184
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|40|30|N|17|38|E|region:IT-BR
frazioni =
telephone = 0831
postalcode = 72024
gentilic = Oritani
saint = Barsanuphius of Palestine
day = August 29
mayor =
website = [http://www.comune.oria.br.it Comune di Oria]

Oria (or "Orra", _gr. Hyria, Uria) is a town in the Apulia region, in the province of Brindisi, in southern Italy.

History

In classical times, Oria was known as "Hyria (Uria)" or "Hyrium", a city in ancient Messapia and one of the principal Messapian cities. It was located just north of the ancient town Manduria, at some distance southwest of Brundisium, and southeast of Taras/Tarentum; corresponding to the location of the modern town.According to Herodotus (7.170), it was founded by the Messapians (who according to Herodotus were originally Cretans) sometime after the abortive siege of the Sicanian city Camicus. Between 217 and 84 BC the city was minting its own coins. The coins often feature "Iapagus", the Iapygian national hero.

Hyria was conquered by the Romans. It was destroyed in AD 924 and 977. In 1266, Oria was besieged by Manfred of Sicily.

Jewish Presence

Oria had one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe. Jewish scholarship in Oria included the study of philosophy, the Talmud, languages such as Greek and Latin, and medicine and natural sciences. It was home to Shabbethai Donnolo, one of the first Hebrew writers who was native to Europe.

Ten scholars in the community were killed when Arabs under Abu Ahmad Ja'far ibn 'Ubaid conquered Oria in 925. This was the beginning of the end of Jewish presence in Oria; the last relic was an epitath produced in 1035. It is likely, however, that Jews were living in Oria until the fifteen century.

People from Oria

Jewish scholar and writer Shabbethai Donnolo was born in Oria in 913.

The neoclassisictic writer Francesco Milizia was born in Oria in 1725.

Twin cities

*flagicon|Germany Lorch, Germany.
*flagicon|POL Miekinia, Poland.
*flagicon|ITA Sarteano, Italy.

External links

* [http://www.visitoria.com/sito_eng/ Official Oria tourist site]
* [http://www.borgodioria.it/ Oria apartments for rent]
* [http://www.casapuglia.com/property_listing_villas.htm Villas Oria]
* [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=126&letter=O&search=oria Jewish Encyclopedia entry on Oria]



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Oria — • Diocese near Brindisi in Italy Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Oria     Diocese of Oria     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • ORIA — ORIA, small town near Brindisi in Apulia, S. Italy, formerly of great importance. The Jewish settlement probably went back to classical times, and Jewish sepulchral inscriptions have been found there. During the period of Byzantine rule, from the …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Oria — may refer to: Places Italy Oria, Apulia, a town in the Apulia region, Province of Brindisi Oria, Lombardy, a village in the municipality of Valsolda, in the Province of Como Spain Oria, Spain, a municipality in the Province of Almería, Andalusia… …   Wikipedia

  • Italy — • In ancient times Italy had several other names: it was called Saturnia, in honour of Saturn; Enotria, wine producing land; Ausonia, land of the Ausonians; Hesperia, land to the west (of Greece); Tyrrhenia, etc. The name Italy, which seems to… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Oria, Apulia — For the village within Valsolda, see Oria, Lombardy. Oria   Comune   Comune di Oria …   Wikipedia

  • ITALY — Jews have lived in Italy without interruption from the days of the Maccabees until the present, through a period of 21 centuries. Although they were never subjected to general expulsion, there were frequently partial ones. They often enjoyed good …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Roman Catholic Diocese of Oria — The Italian Catholic diocese of Oria is in Apulia. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Taranto.[1] History It would appear that Oria, in early times, had bishops of its own, because there is a record on a slab in the cathedral, dating from… …   Wikipedia

  • Norman conquest of southern Italy — The Kingdom of Sicily (in green) in 1154, representing the extent of Norman conquest in Italy over several decades of activity by independent adventurers The Norman conquest of southern Italy spanned the late eleventh and much of the twelfth… …   Wikipedia

  • List of the Roman Catholic dioceses in Italy — The following is the List of the Roman Catholic dioceses of Italy. The Roman Catholic Church in Italy is composed of hundreds of particular churches, most of which are dioceses led by bishops. Dioceses led by archbishops are called archdioceses.… …   Wikipedia

  • DONNOLO, SHABBETAI — (913–c. 982), Italian physician and writer on medicine. He was born in Oria, Italy. The name Donnolo is Greek in origin but is common among Jews in its Arabic form Dunash. Such details of his life as are known have come from an autobiographical… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”