ETIMOLOGY AND HISTORY

Il cThe center is nestled in a valley formed by the rivers Mingardo and Bussento, behind Monte Bulgheria. Its history is documented since the Bronze Age as evidenced by the discovery of artifacts on a hill called "Le Chiaie". From the fifth century BC, the town was the scene of the allocation of the Italic population of Lucani who founded a settlement at the western slopes of Capitenali Mounts. Several archeological proofs have been found, such as the wall which was built to the west of the town, for defensive reasons, some houses located on a large plateau and the necropolis in "La Scala" which allowed to set up the Antiquarium in the current urban center.Under the Romans the village underwent a re-organization due to the new organizational structure of the territory which led to a slow but inevitable decline of the old Lucan village, which was turned into an agricultural settlement. During the fourth century AD, in 396, Stilicho came back to Italy from Greece and settled in the Gulf of Policastro. In particular, his troops settled in the Valley of Mingardo. However, the soldiers plundered the area and local residents took shelter on a rocky outcrop where they founded a new settlement. The latter was built around a church that was completed in 412, and dedicated to Our Lady ans was the centerpiece of the new settlement550 A.D. Policastro Gulf was the scene of the landing of Narsete that, sent by the Emperor Giustiniano, came to Italy to fight the Goths. Many Bulgarian soldiers followed the general and decided to settle in the valleys Bussento and Mingardo.

A large group of soldiers chose to settle on a plateau located on a rocky outcrop. On the plateau they built a manor-house which was surrounded by walls. Inside the manor they built a church dedicated to the Glorious Virgin. The arrival of the Lombards led to the creation of two duchies, Benevento and Salerno, and Roccagloriosa became a feud under whom there were the fiefs of Rocchetta, Acquavena and Celle.The Norman domination was very important for Roccagloriosa, since the village was assigned a very large area. During the twelfth century the town was donated to Count Leone Normanno who particularly favored the village with commercial activities that guaranteed an improvement in living conditions.Following the fall of the Normans, Roccagloriosa begins to be haggled over by many lords until 1400 when the feud passed under the Sanseverino, who would have owned it until the Conspiracy of the Barons when William, opposing King Alfonso of Aragona, lost his rights over the village. The village, as well, passed into the hands of the Royal House of Naples who sold it to Count GiovanBattista Carafa della Spina. The Carafas sold it to Giovanni Antonio Lanario, who in in turn sold it to Pompeo Capece in 1570. In 1828, Roccagloriosa aligned itself with the filadelfi to obtain the republican constitution.anche un miglioramento delle condizioni di vita.