Abu’l-Aghlab Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdallah: Aghlabid governor of Sicily (r. AD 835-851).
Abu Malik Ahmad ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdallah ibn Ibrahim I ibn al-Aghlab: Aghlabid governor of Sicily (r AD 873-76; 899).
Academia: A beautiful country villa built by Cicero in the 1st century BC near Puteoli (mod. Pozzuoli) in Campania. It was one of his favorite retreats where he would take pleasure in philosophical studies and conversations with friends. It was here that he composed his Academic Questions. He named the villa Academia in honor of Plato’s famous philosophical school in Athens. (also see “academy”).
Academy: a school or conservatory. The name derives from the Greek akademeia, which, in turn, is based on Akademus, the name of a mythological hero. A public park is ancient Athens dedicated to Akademus, was the chosen location for Plato and his students to gather.
Acadine (Acadinus): A fountain of Sicily situated near ancient Palica, mentioned by Diodorus Siculus. Its waters were believed to have magic properties. Written oaths and promises were thrown into the fountain to test faithfulness. Those which sank were considered to be falsely made; while those made with honesty would float.
Acaia (or Acaja, Acaya) (LE): A community in southern Puglia, it is now a frazione in the commune of Vernole (LE). Its name, which derives from Achaia, a region of Greece, reveals its Byzantine origins. The existing center, however, is somewhat more recent, Aragonese foundation. A castle was begun here in 1506 by the Baron Alfonso dell Acaja, and completed by his son Gian Giacomo dell Acaja in 1535. The latter was also the architect for the castle at Lecce, the town walls at Crotone, and the Castel Sant’Elmo in Naples. The Acaia castle is considered a model of Aragonese military architecture, with an imposing enciente and large bastions with steep scarps and partially revealed, projecting battlements. Of particular interest is an underground passage which runs from this castle to the Castle of Charles V in Lecce, a distance of some 10 km.
Outside the town walls is a marsh protected by the World Wildlife Fund.
Acalandra (mod. Salandra): A town in ancient Lucania. It derived its name from the nearby river, Acalandrus.
Acalandrus (or Akalandros), River: Ancient name for a small river in Lucania. It is believed to be one of the streams flowing into the Gulf of Taranto about 16 km S of the river Sinni. Its exact identification with any modern river remains uncertain since there is a discrepancy among the ancient sources as to its location. Some modern sources identify it with the Cavone, while others believe it to be the Salandrella. The Acalandrus is thought to have been a natural boundary between the ancient Greek cities of Heraclea and Thurii. This gave it such political significance that it was chosen by Alexander of Epirus as his choice for the site of the general assembly of Italiote Greeks. According to Pliny the Elder, in Roman times the river was called the Talandrus. The Greek name Akalandros derives from the Indo-European *ekwel-, an extension of the root *akwa- (=water, river). The river Acalandrus lends its name to a canal on the planet Mars.
Acanthus: A weed best-known for its beautiful purple flower. Its leaves are reminiscent of the elaborate capitals on Corinthian columns. Acanthus weeds are found growing wild throughout southern Italy, especially in stony locations like archaeological sites.
Acate (formerly Biscari) (see full page)
Acaviser: An ancient Etruscan deity who is sometimes describer as a male and at other times as a female. Probably a divinity concerned with healing, this deity is associated with Turan, Achilles, Thetis and Alpan.
Accademia Antoniana: An early name for the Accademia Panormita in Naples.
Accadia (FG) (med. Eca):A commune (area: 30.47 km². alt. 650 m) of Puglia, in the province of Foggia. (see full page)
Accaria Rosario (CZ): A frazione in the commune of Serrastretta (CZ). It was founded in medieval times by the Saracens.
Accarini: A surname found mainly in Sicily. It is of Saracen origins deriving from the Arab al-qarinu (= husband).
Accascina, Filippo “Pippo”: (b. May 13, 1919, Mezzojuso (PA). d. 2001, Rome). Chemist. He was a noted researcher on the theory of electric conductance of solutions between ions, solvent molecules, absorption of ultrasolics in liquid mixtures and kinetic of hydrolysis. During his career he was a professor of chemistry at the University of Rome.
Accetta, Giulio: (b. Francavilla Fontana (BR). d. Sept. 25, 1725, Turin). Mathematician and Augustinian Monk. He was a professor of mathematics at the University of Turin. His principal work was Gli elementi di Euclid (post. 1753).
Accetto (sometimes Maestro Accetto): (b. Lavoro, Apulia. fl. 11th century). Sculptor and archdeacon. One of his best works was a pulpit in the Cathedral of Canosa di Puglia. Remains of another of his pulpits (1041) can be seen in the church of S. Michele at Monte Sant’Angelo (FG). Accetto’s sculpture reveals strong Byzantine and Saracen influences; ornate in styling and never depicting human figures.
Accetto, Torquato: (fl. 1st half of the 17th century). Neapolitan scholar. An author of moralistic verses, he is best known for his 1641 treatise Della dissimulazione onestra.
Accettura (MT): A commune (Area: 89.27 km². alt: 770 m) of Basilicata, in the province of Matera (see full page).