SALERNO

SALERNO

Salerno can be easily reached by a modern motor-road of the Sun, which connects it with Rome; or by the picturesque road running along the coast of Amalfi.
The town lies on a stretch of land situated among the large gulf of Salerno, the gulf of Poseidonia of the Greeks and the Sinus Paestanus of the Romans, so called after the old Poseidonia or Paestum on its southern shores, and the Mounts Picentini rising just behind it‑ Though nowadays it seems to be a very modern town, Salerno has and glorious past. Already in the IV-V centuries some Etruscan groups of Campania had settled in the northern part of the present built-up area. During the war of the Romans against Pyrrhus, the town chose the right side and so began to flourish under the mild domination of the future rulers of the world. Some think that its name comes from the Latin  salum and the river Irno, which still flows with this name to the east of the town. The first information about Salerno dates back to 197 B.C., when the Romans decided to constitute here a colony to control the Picentines, who, after the battle of Cannae, had taken sides with Hannibal. The constitution of the colony took place after three years, in 194, and since that time Salerno became politically and commercially very important, till it became in the IV century A.D. the seat of Correctors of Lucania and Brutium. When the disastrous barbarian invasions began and Rome was taken, Salerno, too, was ransacked.
It was taken by the rulers of the strongest populations: Odoacre, Theodoric, the Byzantine Belisarius and Totila. In 552 the town passed again under the Byzantines for a short time, becoming the most important centre of the region, in spite of the continuous devastations, it was at this time that it took the name of gulf, in which the famous, and ancient Paestum lies. In the following century Salerno fell under the Longobards. Though tormented by civil fights and by the Saracens' raids, it politically flourished specially during the reign of Guaimarius V (1027-1052). In 1076 it was besieged by Robert the Guiscard, who took the town in the following year, making it the capital town of his kingdom with the title of dukedom. It was in this century that the medical school of Salerno flourished thanks to its skilful masters though the times were hard under the Swabians, Salerno began to decline and never flourished again. During the following centuries the town knew other dominations, till during the Italian Risorgimento it was a patriotic centre, taking part in the liberal movements involving the whole country.

When Salerno was annexed to the new Italian State, the economical standard of its population went up slowly, because it took part in the reforms fostered by the State for the industrial development. During the last world war, Salerno had to face terrible events. It was chosen as landing place for the Anglo-American troops, who from Sicily were marching towards the north of the peninsula. It suffered many bombings which destroyed most of the town. The military actions combined with the air-raids after the landing, made things worse. Salerno had to be completely re‑built, especially in the area near the sea, which was continually bombed.

CHOOSE A REGION OF ITALY

For 4-6 servings:

• 400 g black tagliatelle
• 8 king prawns
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small bunch parsley
• 1 glass dry white wine
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt

Sauté the shelled prawns in oil and flavour with some chopped parsley and garlic and a pinch of salt. Add some white wine and cook over a rapid heat for three minutes. Boil the pasta in plentiful salted water, drain when al dente and transfer to the pot with the sauce. Mix carefully for a few minutes, remove from the heat and serve piping hot, garnishing with the remaining finely chopped parsley.