Sapri was inhabited from
Bronze Age to Greek – Roman Age. Cicero defined
it "parva gemma maris inferi", that is a small gem on
the Southern sea. Massimiano Erculeo, the Eastern Roman
emperor, chose Sapri as his summer residence because climate was mild
and landscapes were wonderful.
In
the past Sapri always had a strategic role thanks to its position at
the centre of Gulf
of Policastro. One of the most famous episodes of Italian
Risorgimento was that of Sapri expedition,
led by Carlo Pisacane, celebrated in the lines of "Spigolatrice
di Sapri" by Luigi Mercantini. The expedition failed but was
however an important moment that anticipated the expedition of the "Mille".
Testi: Stefania Maffeo