Apulia

Apulia (modern Puglia), the south-eastern part of Italy as far as the promontory of Leuca, comprising the three provinces of Bari, Foggia, and Lecce, with an area of 8540 sq. m., and a pop. (1892) of 1,797,245. In ancient times it extended from the river Freno to the promontory Iapygium, and was bounded on the west by Samnium and Lucania, on the north by the Frentani. More strictly defined, it was the country east of Samnium, on both sides of the Aufidus—the Dannia and Peucetia of the Greeks. The latter frequently applied the name Iapygia to include all Apulia. The inhabitants of Apulia formed three distinct peoples—the Messapians or Salentini, the Peucetii, and the Dauni or Apulians. Its principal cities were Arpi, Luceria, and Canusium. They first appear in history as concluding a treaty with the Romans, in 326 B.C., against the Samnites; but this they soon after repudiated, and in 317 all the Apulian cities submitted to Rome. The second Punic war was for some time carried on in this province, the battle of Cannæ (216 B.C.) being fought within its borders, and many of its cities were severely punished by the Romans for siding with Hannibal. A like fate overtook them at the close of the social war in 89 B.C., and the district has never since recovered its ancient wealth and prosperity. It is but a shadow of its former self in the time of the Greek colonies, under Roman dominion, or even under the Normans, who made a duchy of it in 1043 A.D. Most of the towns are depopulated, and agriculture is in a very low condition. See Gregorovius' Apulische Landschaften (2d ed. Leip. 1880).