History of Atri

Atri is a town in the Province of Teramo, and it is strategically located on a terrace overlooking the Adriatic Sea, with a very particular territory for the presence of the so-called "calanchi", i.e. geological formations caused by the erosion of  clayey soil. The area of Atri was inhabited since the Iron Age, as shown by archaeological finds;  the most accredited hypothesis about the origins of the city are two; the most likely says that the town was founded by the Etruscans; while the second connects Atri to the existence  in the area of a colony founded by Dionysius of Syracuse (405-367 BC).  The etymology of Atri seems to be related to a family name; G. Serra, on the subject, writes: "Adria et Hatria. 1) nomen urbis in Piceno, patria familiae Hadriani Imperatoris, hodie 'Atri', which seems to make up the current name of the ancient variant 'Atria', 'Hatria' (third century BC) (...) nomen pers. et quidem multa in gente Romana”"[“Adria "Hatria", the name of a city of Piceno, home of the family of Emperor Hadrian, now called "Atri", name of person very common among the Romans”] (See G. Serra, "Outlines of a Linguistic History of  Medieval Italy", Liguori, 1965: 56). Anyway, a very detailed analysis of the origins of the term "Ater" ("dark"), which we find in many Italian names, was  made by G. Recchia, who notes that "Ater" is linked to the presence of a river or water: "[...] G. Devoto specifies that the Umbria river 'Nera' was among the first to be inhabited by proto-Villanovan called 'Naharani / Na-harti'.

The city of Terni is located at the confluence of the rivers Nera and Serra, and the Romans called it ' Interamna ' (' between the rivers') 'Na-hartium'. Also the toponym of Terni seems to be derived from ' ater ' (... the same thing we can be said for ' Atrani ', where the city is crossed by the Dragone River, the waters of which disappear swallowed into an abyss; so the ancient city of ' Atrano ' is defined as ' dark ' linguistically, and in the area of Salerno there is also the ' River ' Atri. We note that the same meaning is present in ' Aternum ', near Pescara, and in ' Atri'-' Hatria ' (in the Piceno) and Adria (in Veneto). I join on these "Amiternum" in Sabina, situated at the head of the river ' Aternum '. The Greek term 'Hades' means 'hereater' (' dark place '), which suggests an etymological link meaning ' underground ' environment, even in conjunction with the Lake 'Averno', 'Avernus', the etymology of which refers to ' 'watery underground caverns' ' (...) Similarly, the town of ' Acerra '/' Aker ' has its etymological basis within 'akwa',  indicating the presence of water connected to a river [...] "(See G. Reccia “Topografonomastica e descrizioni geocartografiche dei casali atellano-napoletani di Grumo e Nevano”, Istituto di Studi Atellani, Istituto geografico militare, Florence, 2009: 111-12, notes 230, 231).

The etymology of "Atri" therefore, refers to the concept of "darkness" and "river". As it has been observed ("Athenaeum", University of Pavia, Vol. 27, 1968: 137), “is beyond all doubt that the term 'Macrinum' corresponds to the port (in Greek 'epineion') of ' Hatria '('Atria'), located at the mouth of' ‘Matrìnos Potamòs’ ('river Matrino'), mentioned by Strabo (58-25 BC). Indeed Atri is mentioned by Livy (59-17 BC), Strabo, Mela (first century AD), Silius Italicus (26-101 AD), Ptolemy (90-168 AD),  Paul the Deacon (720-799 AD), and other authors. The city of “Hatria” (Hadria) took this name in the Roman period, and reached its peak just in time, when the Emperor Hadrian built  into it his thermae. Although devastated by Hannibal (247-182 BC) during his military campaign in Italy, the town proved loyal to Rome, and for this reason it was elevated to the rank of “Municipium”.

After the fall of Roman Empire, during the barbarian invasions, Hatria "Picena" (for distinguish it from "Hatria" Or "Hadria" (today "Adria") of the Veneto, Province of Rovigo) began its decline. It then became part of the Duchy of Spoleto, of which proved one of the major cities, though fallen, as Paul the Deacon narrated in the 'Historia Langobardorum "[" History of the Lombards "]  (Book II):" “Vetustate conpsumpta Adria, qui Adriatico pelago nomen dedit" [" Adria, now defeat for its antiquity, which gave its name to the Adriatic Sea "]. In 1252 it became an Episcopal city at the behest of Pope Innocent IV and from the second half of the thirteenth to the first half of the fourteenth century it was ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy merchants. In 1395 Atri came into possession of  the Acquaviva, a powerful family in the province of Teramo. The Acquaviva held power for nearly four centuries in Atri, and thanks to them, the town experienced some moments of great peace and prosperity. In 1760, the last feudal of Atri, Isabella Strozzi, voluntarily relinquished all right, and therefore, in 1775, the whole area became part of the Kingdom of Naples under King Ferdinand I (1725-1825) and then the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies until the unification of Italy (1861).