POLICASTRO

Policastro is situated on the Gulf of the same a short distance from the mouth of the river Bussento – whose sediments have donated Policastro its splendid beaches.
In ancient times, Italic tribes, followed later on by Greek colonisers were attracted to the area by the presence of a convenient landing place at the mouth of the river, and by the important strategic advantage of being able to advance into the hinterland along the Bussento river valley itself.
The Greek settlement, PIXOUS (BOX wood), appeared in the area in the 4th century B.C. and the ruins of the impressive defensive walls, which once enclosed the town, still bear traces of their Greek and Italic origin.
During the decline of Magna Grecia, when the port was rendered unusable due to silting up and the town uninhabitable by endemic malaria, the importance of the settlement diminished and Pixous passed under the control of the Lucanian peoples of the hinterland.
At the beginning of the 2nd century B.C. the Romans began repopulating the area with settlers and the Roman town of Buxentum was born. The importance and prosperity of Buxentum grew rapidly and in 187 B.C. the settlement was declared a Roman municipality.
The ruins of a Roman aqueduct can still be seen on the outskirts of the town.
At some unknown date during the first half of the 5th century A.D., Fabius Livius Severus, who, in the year 461 A.D. would become Roman Emperor, was born in Buxentum.
In the year 450 A.D., Buxentum, together with numerous other settlements in the area was devastated by the Genserico vandals. A long period of decline followed, during which the village was afflicted by famine and plague, in addition to being repeatedly sacked by the Barbarians.
Policastro, which in Greek means “a fortified city”, assumed this name in the 7th century A.D. when a Byzantine castle was built there. In 839 A.D. Policastro became part of the Lombard Princedom of Salerno. In the year 915 the village was sacked by Saracen pirates who devastated many other settlements on the Gulf of Poilcastro.
After being conquered by the Norman, Roberto il Guiscardo, in 1055, the village was further fortified when the Castellaro castle was built nearby at Capitello.
Roberto il Guiscardo also built the central aisle of Policastro Cathedral, which was further enlarged during the following centuries. The Bell tower was added in the year 1167.
In 1152, by will of Ruggero II, King of Sicily and nephew of Roberto il Guiscardo, Policastro was promoted to the status of county or earldom, and the first Count of Policastro was Ruggero’s son Simon “the bastard”.
Domination by the Angioini followed that by the Normans. Policastro, which was now a centre of great importance, was further fortified and the port was also enlarged during this period.
In 1287, during the course of the Vespro Wars, Policastro’s defences were breached by the Aragonesi. In 1320 the town was attacked and destroyed by Genoan fleet of Corrado Doria. In 1328 the town became the property of the renowned Genoan family of Grimaldi.
In the year 1397 the Earldom of Policastro was acquired by the Sanseverino family, which rebuilt the castle and the defensive walls. The latter were completed in 1455, as documented in a high-relief on the façade of the cathedral.
In 1496, Policastro became a possession of the Carafa family, whose property it remained until the abolition of feudalism.
Later, Policastro was twice sacked by Turkish pirates: the first time in 1534 and the second in 1552. During the latter, the 12th century Convent of St Francis was destroyed – the ruins can still be seen at the eastern end of the town.
A long period of relative prosperity then followed, during which the Baronial Palace was built (in the 17th century). This era came to an end in 1806, however, when Policastro was attacked by French troops. The British fleet came to the aid of the town and bombarded the castle, in which the French invaders had barricaded themselves, destroying it once and for all in the process.
Today, Policastro, the older part of which still retains much of its medieval characteristics, is a thriving little town whose economy is based mainly on agriculture, thanks to the fertile alluvial plain of the Bussento. In recent years the area has seen a great increase in tourism.