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PRATOLA IN THE ANCIENT DOCUMENTS Translation by Sestino Casasanta Corriere Peligno/Gente Italica copyright© by Sestino Casasanta There is no doubt that the town of Pratola always existed Evidence of the life and work are the innumerous findings that came to light in the surrounding farmland of Pratola... It is an entire different matter to wish to find the name of Pratola recorded preceding or spanning the year One Thousand: the only option left was to consult the archives of the Monasteries, in the ancient documents. At that time claims and competence were at stake; and the large Benedictine Abbeys, beneficiaries of immovable properties, of churches and land scattered in a vast area, they were facing the prey of an easy and unlawful appropriations, and had to seek protection from the Emperors and the Popes. Therefore the so-called "bolle" and diplomas, helped to guarantee to the Monasteries their patrimony. Requires a good dose of curiosity and patient to glance, even if slightly, at the pages of the three volumes of the "Chronicon Vulturnense" which today reproduce in modern characters, the very ancient documents of the famous Monastery of S. Vincenzo al Volturno; documents already read in the original, transcribed, studied and published by the scholar Muratori and by other historians. The same indication as above goes for the large volume of the "Codice Diplomatico Sulmonese", today reduplicated and made available to the numerous history lovers. Before the year One Thousand is a real miracle if the name of Pratola is found in the rank of a simple village (but won't be too long before is called Castrum Pratulae). The castle of Orsa, with his dependencies, already existed, the same one that the population later will call Old Pratola ("Pratola Vecchia"). To follow in order, we read in the said Chronicon Vulturnense, volume I - page 228, document n. 28, a quotation at one "diploma" conceded by Ludovico II. (an Emperor from the year 855 to 875) in which is 'confirmed' to the monastery of S. Vincenzo al Volturno the rights over numerous churches and land, situated in the 'territory of Valva': (Latin) "quecunque in Valbensi territorio esse potuissent... omnia domno Hludovico Imperatore in eodom monasterio firmata sunt". Among others it name, the churches of S. Comicii in Pectoriano (Pettorano); S. Leopardi in Pacentro; S. Vincenzii in Selmone (Sulmona), ecc., S. Felicis in Bettorrito (Vittorito)..., et in Prata; S. Merci in Gorgiano (Goriano); S. Pamphili in Raiano; et in Prezze...; et in Poperi (Popoli) ecc... Here actually is described our Peligna District, therefore Prata, with the churches not specified it must be Pratola, and we are in the middle of the IX century. In fact in the contest one should not refer at Prata in the Aventine river; nor to Prata d'Ansidonia, mentioned more than once in the documents of the "Chronicon Casauriense" as "S. Paolo ad Peltuinum" Above all: in the other document, the n.155 of the Chronicon Vulturnense, were is recorded the name of Pratulae in its entirety, the note on the bottom of the page again refers to Prata (the document which we are talking about). This documentation attest, that the Benedectine Order, in the century prior to the year 1000, had already set a foot in our land, with the Gospel, and the working tools... (Latin: ora et labora). It is very clear, that in the document n.155 of the Chronicon Vulturnense, the name of Pratola appears for the first time, under the title "Libellum de Valva in loco Pratulae" Libellum, meant a type of agrarian agreement, widespread in Italy during the Middle Ages. Signing the act was someone called Alberico of Transarico (a Longobard name) residing in Valva. This "Valva" was not ever a city, but was the name of a Committee or Board in which represented the Peligna Valley. The above mentioned Alberico, attested to have received for a period of 29 years a parcel of land, from the Abbot of S. Vincenzo al Volturno, in a locality named Pratulae (Latin: "in locus qui Pratulae vocatur"); this stipulation was signed to compensate Alberico of a loan of 100 cents (Latin "de mobilia valientes solidos centum") given to the Monastery. Many loans are registered during that period, all for the purpose to rebuild the Monastery, devastated by the Saracens. For the just recognition, to the dominion of the monks, Alberico with a oath committed himself and his successor, to pay an annual fee of one cent (Latin "de merce solidum unum") without any doubt as a symbolic gesture, even if at the time one cent, meant valuable currency... The fertile land that Alberico had acquired through the agreement (approx. 8 'opere' were for cultivation) had the boundary at one side with the road and the land of San Pelino; and to the other side with the Calido river (Latin: fine flumine Calido). Its believed that with the popular nickname of Calido, it indicate the river Aterno (at Molina) which descended first to Raiano, then reached Pratola's farmland ("Ciavarrone Superiore"), and merged with the lukewarm waters of the local springs. However after a thousand years, even our Calido river could have disappeared, by the ground settling or suction process. The agreement, after the date "...July 997", have the signature of Alberico, and two text of the abbot 'Giovanni' (Latin: "signum manus Johannis"). But the text says: that the agreement was consented by the religious of the monastic community (Latin "the primatis monachis"), to entrust to the willing and able hands (locals and foreigners) land of their own, first of all, to guarantee that the land be utilized for good agricultural purpose; and also to favour new rural settlements where there had been regions deserted and inhospitable. |
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