Potenza

Potenza (anc. Potentia), a town of South Italy, enconced in a valley of the Apennines, 103 miles E. by S. of Naples. It is surrounded by a wall, has a fine cathedral, and disused fortifications. Potenza was shaken by earthquakes in 1273, 1694, 1812, and 1857. Pop. 17,978. —The province of Potenza, called Basilicata until 1871, has an area of 3998 sq. m. and (1889) a pop. of 556,309.