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This region comprises four
provinces (L’Aquila, Pescara, Teramo, Chieti) which
encompass 305 administrative districts (comuni) most with
fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, some overlooking rocky canyons
where cliff-face caves abound.
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They were often used
as human habitations in difficult times. For example it
is believed that the Carthagenean leader Hannibal, whose
attempted raid on Rome (III Century BC) began with the crossing
of the Alps by his army led by a herd of elephants, took
refuge in one of these caves on Mount Pallano, near Alessa
in the Chieti province. It still bears his name, Hannibal’s
cave.
Spartacus, the leader of the legendary Slaves Rebellion
(reputed to have involved around 120,000 slaves from all
the surrounding regions) took refuge in the Maiella mountains
only to be eventually annihilated and dispersed by Crassus
and Pompey in 71 BC. It is said that the women of Maiella
followed their men into battle adorned with their most precious
ornaments to be slaughtered with them in case of defeat.
Pope Celestino V -the hermit who renounced his papal title
after five months of pontifical reign in Rome- returned
to his cave on Mount Morrone in 1294 where he died 2 years
later.
Roman naturalists Pliny the First and Pliny the Second (1st
to 2nd centuries AD) in praising the natural beauty of the
region made reference to the fertility of the land and its
mineral riches -not forgetting to mention the fine taste
and quality of the honey produced by the Maiella bees…
Winter resorts are to be found especially in the south-west
of the region (Maielletta , Prati di Tivo, Passo San Leonardo,
Campo di Giove, Scanno, Campo Imperatore) where temperatures
drop several degrees below zero in winter and snows prevail
for up to 200 days in a year.
On the other hand, the north-eastern districts of Abuzzo
have a more temperate climate, more Mediterranean-like.
Summer tours are recommended over the months of April, May
and June.
The Land | Home | The People
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