Nola

Nola is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, southern Italy. It lies on the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. It is traditionally credited as the diocese that introduced bells to Christian worship. Nola-Croce del Papa Excavations at Nola-Croce del Papa have uncovered extensive evidence of a small village quickly abandoned at the time of the Avellino Eruption in the 17th century BC. This powerful eruption from Mount Vesuvius caused the inhabitants to leave behind a wide range of pottery and other artefacts. The foundations of their buildings are also preserved in imprints among the mud left by the eruption. Nola was one of the oldest cities of Campania, with its most ancient coins bearing the name Nuvlana. It was later said to have been founded by the Ausones, who were certainly occupying the city by 560 BC. It once vied in luxury with Capua. During the Roman invasion of Campania in the Samnite War in 328 BC, Nola was probably occupied by the Oscans in alliance with the Samnites. Nola sent 2000 troops to defend Naples against the Romans (Paleopolis/Neapolis) in 327 BC. The Romans took Nola in 313 BC after setting fire to buildings near the city walls. Under Roman rule during Hannibal's invasion of Italy amid the Second Punic War, the city was the site of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battles of Nola. On two occasions (215 and 214 BC), it was defended by Marcellus. In 90 BC it fell by treason to the Samnites during the Social War. In 89 BC, Sulla routed the rebel army near Pompeii, chased them to Nola and there massacred 20,000 rebels at the Battle of Nola in front of the walls. It was stormed in 73-72 BC by Spartacus during his failed slave revolt. The 1st c. BC saw a number of public buildings constructed including the amphitheatre. The emperor Augustus died nearby at his sumptuous villa at Somma Vesuviana on 19 August AD 14, in allegedly the same room his father died in 72 years earlier. Augustus and Vespasian settled colonies in the area.