Buxentum - Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 173

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

BUXENTUM.

- It was a city situated on the Lucanian coast between the rivers Melfi and Lao. Some identify its location with that of present-day Policastro, others with that of Pisciotta in the Valle di Novi. It is mentioned by Strabo, Pliny, and Livy. Its name was anciently also applied to the promontory of Policastro. Of Greek origin, it received in 194 a colony of Roman citizens and later became a municipium. Very scanty is the information concerning the diocese. In 591 a bishop Rustico took part in the Roman Council held by Pope Simmaco; in 592 St. Gregory the Great (Ep. 42) ordered Felice, bishop of Pesto, to visit the diocese of B., which was without a pastor; in 649 a bishop Sabbazio was present at the Council held in Rome by Pope Martino I.

The city was later destroyed by Saracen raids.

BIBL.: Cappelletti, XX, p. 768; P. B. Gams, Series episco- porum Ecclesiae Catholicar, Ratisbona 1873, p. 912 (identifies the diocese of B. with that of Policastro); R. Gaetani, Notizie di Policastro Bussentino dalla Storia Lucana del Mannelli, Napoli 1880; id., L'antica B., oggi Policastro Bussentino e la sua diocesi, in Studi in Italia, 5 (1881), pp. 366-86; Lanzoni, I, 1323.

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