Encyclopedia of Southern Italy – N

N


Naevius Cneius
: (b. Campania; d. 204 BC, in Ustica). An ancient Roman poet, he was a contemporary of Livius Andronicus, and predated Ennius. After serving in the Roman army during the First Punic War, he wrote De Bello Punico, an epic poem on that conflict. He also authored several dramas imitating Greek works, as well as a number of comedies during with Roman or national subjects. His flair for satire ran him afoul of several Roman notables who arranged his arrest and deportation from Rome as an alien. He settled at Ustica, in North Africa, where he died.

Naiades Himeriai (Naiads of Himera): a group of nymphs who watched over the thermal springs of the ancient Greek town of Himera, on the north coast of eastern Sicily.

Naples (city): See Napoli.

Naples (Golfo di Napoli), Gulf (Bay) of: An inlet of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea, bounded on the NW by Capo Miseno and by the Sorrentine Peninsula on the SE. Its boundaries are further marked on the north by the islands of Ischia and Procida, and on the south by Capri.
Naples (Napoli), Kingdom of: The continental portion of the former kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It comprised the entire southern portion of the Italian peninsula. It’s northern border, running from lat. 42 degrees 53 minutes to 41 degree 10 minutes, was separated on its eastern (Adriatic) end from the Papal States by the River Tronto, while at its western (Mediterranean) end by the Pontine marshes. At its greatest N-S length, it measured 350 miles, while at its greatest E-W breadth it was 120 miles. In area it was roughly 30,000 square miles, somewhat larger than Scotland.
The kingdom of Naples was divided into the provinces of:
Napoli
Terra di Lavoro
Principato Citra
Principato Ultra
Abruzzo Ultra Primo
Abruzzo Ultra Secondo
Abruzzo Citra
Samnio (Molise)
Capitanata
Terra di Bari
Terra d’Otranto
Basilicata
Calabria Citra
Calabria Ultra Primo
Calabria Ultra Secondo
The Neapolitan provinces had an estimated population of about 5,700,000 in the 1830s.

Napoletano-Calabrese Dialects: An Indo-European language group centered in Calabria and Campania. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian. Dialects: Napoletano (Sub-dialects: Neapolitan, Tirrenic), Northern Calabrese-Lucano (Sub-dialects: Lucanian, Basilicatan).It has a vigorous existence and is not endangered. A large literature. Some scholars believe it ought to be classified as Southern Romance instead of Italo-Western. In 1976, it had 7,047,399 speakers. It has a limited inherent intelligibility with Standard Italian. Although Neapolitan and Calabrese, the two principal branches, are very different from each other, both have intelligibility with Sicilian. Southern Calabrian is actually so close to Sicilian dialects that several linguists would prefer that it be reclassified into that family. Neapolitan Sub-dialects: Neapolitan proper (spoken in the center city of Naples), Irpino, Cilentano, Laziale Meridionale, Marchigiano Meridionale, Teramano, Abruzzese Orientale Adriatico, Abruzzese Occidentale, Molisano, Dauno-Appenninico, Garganico, Apulo-Barese, Lucano Nord-Occidentale, Lucano Nord-Orientale, Lucano Centrale, Area Arcaica Lucano-Calabrese, and Calabrese Settentrionale.

Napoli, Province of: A province in Campania. Population: 3,082,756 (2007e).

Nardodipace (VV): A commune in the province of Vibo Valentia.
Naro (AG): A commune in the province of Agrigento. Population: 8,670 (2006e).

Naso (ME): A commune in the province of Messina.
nave (Ital. navara): the central space in a church. It is usually flanked by aisles.
Navelli (AQ): A commune in the province of L’Aquila. Population: 616 (2006e).

Naxos: The earliest ancient Greek colony on Sicily. It was founded in c 734 BC on Capo Schisò, on the eastern shore of Sicily, by Greeks from Cumae and Euboea. Never a major city itself, it founded the more important Catana and Leontinoi as its own daughter-colonies. Its location made it the first city usually visited by any ships arriving from the Italian mainland, giving it a certain strategic and commercial value. Thucles, the original leader of Naxos’ colonists, founded the important Altar of Apollo the Leader, a shrine venerated by all Sicilian Greeks. Travelers about to set out on voyagers would visit the shrine to offer prayers to the god in hopes of a safe journey. Arriving sailors similarly gave thanks there for their good fortune.