Nicotera

For the Italian politician, see Giovanni Nicotera.

Nicotera
—  Comune  —
Comune di Nicotera
Coat of arms
Nicotera Location of Nicotera in Italy
Coordinates: 38°33′N 15°56′E / 38.55°N 15.933°E / 38.55; 15.933
Country	Italy
Region	Calabria
Province	Vibo Valentia (VV)
Frazioni	Comèrconi, Marina, Preìtoni, Badia di Nicotera
Government
- Mayor	Salvatore Reggio
Area
- Total	32 km2 (12.4 sq mi)
Elevation	220 m (722 ft)
Population (2007)
- Total	6,487
- Density	202.7/km2 (525/sq mi)
Demonym	Nicoteresi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	89844
Dialing code	0963
Patron saint	Saint Joseph; Assumption of Mary
Saint day	21 March; 15 August
Website	Official website

Nicotera (Greek: Nikoptera, Medma) is a comune (municipality) in the province of Vibo Valentia, Calabria, southern Italy.

History

Nicòtera origins lie with the ancient Greek city of Medma which was founded by the Locresis of Locri Epizephyris.

During the period of Roman domination it partially survived only through the emporium (port), near today’s Nicotera Marina. A Christian bishopric see is attested in Nicotera during the Middle Ages.^[1]

View of the upper town with the castle on the left.

In 1065 Robert Guiscard conquered it from the Byzantine Empire, and the town grew around the castle and the cathedral built under the Normans.

Under Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II Nicotera attained economic wealth. To encourage commerce and industry, Frederick promoted Jewish settlement in the area called "Giudecca", in which Jews of this ghetto inhabited the area near the castle, enjoy protection from Christian persecution by the Bishop of Nicotera.

In the 15th century, under the rule of Alfonso of Aragon, it passed under the yoke of feudalism and it decayed. In 1806 the French Revolution swept away the feudal system in Nicotera. After the restoration of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies, Nicotera continued to be chief town of the district, with what are now the modern communes of Joppolo and Limbadi as its dependancies.

Notes

1. ^ http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11072a.htm

External links

Media related to Nicotera at Wikimedia Commons