The origins

There is a long history behind Puglia and the area of Daunia, where Celle and Faeto were built. Puglia was the gateway to Greece and the Orient but it was also the gateway for the people of these lands to enter and move through Italy. For many civilizations, it was extremely important strategically to control this area; both for trade and for the launching of invasions.

Although inhabited for many thousands of years previously by people such as the Daunnii and Messapians, the Ancient Greeks were the first great civilizations to control this region, settling here from the 7th century BC. The region was important as a trading route but the Greeks also organized the region and developed its agriculture. Some cities, in particular Taranto, became important colonies of Magna Graecia and many relics and archaeological sites can be found in this area.

With the arrival of the Roman Empire in the 2nd century BC came a change of control, although Puglia took a century to be fully conquered due to rebellion in many cities. The importance of Apulia (as it was known by the Romans) to the Roman Empire was second only to that of Lazio, and many seaports including Brindisi and Bari which were founded at this time.

Brindisi was the most important port for reaching Greece, Macedonia, Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean and was linked directly back to Rome by the famous Via Appia or Appian Way and the Via Traiana . Romans built Via Traiana in 109 BC. and they also founded a colony originally called "Luceria" now called Lucera. Via Traiana and Lucera will both become decisive for the origins of Celle and Faeto.

At the fall of the Roman Empire came a long, dark period for the region with many Barbarian invasions by, among others, Goths, Lombards, Byzantines and Saracens, leading to increasing economic decline . During the Medieval Period, pilgrims who wanted to get to Jerusalem still had to use Via Traiana, but at that time Mediterranean countries and Southern Italy were usually attacked by Saracens. Villages situated on the coast were often attacked and created a dangerous and unbearable situation.

About 8 centuries ago, a French man named Carlo I D'Angiò was called to Italy by Pope Clemente IV. The Church's territories were menaced by Manfredi, the king of Sicily. The pope asked Carlo to defeat Manfredi and become king of Southern Italy... quickly Carlo defeated Manfredi but one more problem prevented him from becoming the real king of Southern Italy…

At that time, in fact, south Italy and the Mediterranean Sea were also full of Saracens who often attacked the villages on the coast. A group of them settled in an ancient Roman colony called Lucera. They kept sacking the area around them. Carlo could not agree with this situation…Saracens were the final step to defeat. In the winter of 1269, the French army was ready to attack them.

Actually Carlo I D'Angiò could not defeat the Saracens easily and created a long siege. He created a strategic project in which two villages around Lucera were made more powerful. (Castelluccio Val Maggiore and Troia) in order to prevent the Saracens from supplying food and to prohibit communication. He also sent 200 French soldiers to protect an ancient building originally called "Crepacordis" now San Vito. It was situated on the ancient Via Traiana, built by the Romans in prior centuries and it was a perfect position for soldiers to keep an eye on the Saracens's movements. Finally on August 27, 1269 Carlo I defeated Saracens in Lucera. He became the real King of Southern Italy.

The origins of Celle and Faeto are not certain beyond doubt. The Francophone dialect is still spoken here, but how did the French arrive here? The most reliable explanation is the following:

Because most of the people that lived in that area moved away or died during the war with Saracens, Carlo I D'Angiò wanted to repopulate that area with people loyal to him. For this reason, he allowed 200 French soldiers to stay in Crepacore. A few years later these soldiers were joined by their own families and by other people from Southern France. During the year 1350, because of the windy weather of this area, our ancestors decided to move away from Crepacore and they first found shelter in the monasteries around there, built to protect the Pilgrims as they traveled.

First they settled in two ancient monasteries: (Sancti Salvatoris de Fageto and Sancte Marie de Faieto); and this is how Faeto originated. The etymology of Faeto comes from the place in which these monasteries were : built: Faggeto, a beech forest. The rest of the French soldiers with their families settled in the ancient Cenobio di San Nicola, built by monks around 1100 as a summer residence, and this is how Celle originated. The etymology of Celle comes from the little residences of the monks called celle as well.

All of these monasteries had the function to protect Pilgrims as they traveled.

Celle and Faeto had many trouble and happening during the following five centuries. They were under the control of Catelluccio Val Maggiore until 1810. After that they became independent.