Caiazzo

Sister cities

• Ochtendung

History

The ancient Caiatia was already in the hands of the Romans in 306 BC, and since in the 3rd century BC it issued copper coins with a Latin legend it must have had the . In the Social War it rebelled from Rome, and its territory was added to that of Capua by Sulla. In the imperial period, however, it was once more a . In the Middle Ages it belonged to the Lombard Duchy of Benevento and the County of Capua. The episcopal see was founded in 966. Later Frederick II established here a Treasure Court. It had a castle which was enlarged by the Angevines and, during the reign of Alfonso V of Aragon, housed his mistress Lucrezia d'Alagno. Later Caiazzo was the fief of numerous baronial families of the Kingdom of Naples. Caiazzo was the seat of anti-royal rebellions at the times of the Neapolitan Republic, and also housed several Carbonari. Despite this, Caiazzo was one of the few towns in the kingdom whose population sided against Garibaldi's expedition which annexed southern Italy to Piedmont. During World War II, retreating German troops massacred 22 civilians here.