CANOSA. — City of Apulia, in the province of Bari, of ancient origin, known for its necropolises with rich grave goods and for the notable remains of Roman buildings. Situated in a favorable position, on a major thoroughfare, the Traiana, Christianity established itself there early, assuming a predominant position in relation to other centers of the region. It was thus one of the first episcopal sees of Apulia; already in 357, among the participants in the Council of Sardica, a certain Stercorius ab Apulia de Canusio is mentioned (s. Ilario, Fragn., II, 632; PL 10, 643; cf. Gregorio Magno, Ep., I, 51 and Ughelli, X, 35). Still in the sixth century C. is cited among the most important cities of Apulia (Procopio, Bell. got., III, 18; Paolo Diacono, Hist. rom., II, 22), but it must subsequently have suffered severe damage at the hands of the Lombards, since later, between 689 and 706, the duchess Teoderada, regent for her son Gisulfo, restored the bishopric there and built a church, dedicating it to s. Sabino, patron of the city. Approximately to the same period must be attributed the evident rebuilding work on another large building, with a central plan within a square perimeter, unpublished, discovered and explored in 1937 approximately 1 km from the inhabited area, in a locality called S. Angelo and later S. Leucio, perhaps in memory of two different successive dedications. In a sarcophagus there
was found a body, with a gilded cross on its chest.
On the outskirts of the city another Christian building had already been identified, dedicated to s. Giovanni Battista, likewise with a central plan inscribed within a polygon, covered by a dome, with an ardica with opposing apses, which was perhaps mistakenly considered a baptistery.
It should be noted that in both buildings the masonry always appears makeshift, with extensive use of pre-existing material, in large unequal blocks, wedged and leveled with fragments of brick or marble; by contrast, the arches stand out, always constructed with newly manufactured bipedales. This technique differs markedly from the Ravenna style and is rather comparable to that of contemporary monuments in North Africa. C. having once again been destroyed by the Saracens around the middle of the ninth century, its bishop, Pietro, is said to have taken refuge in Salerno; later, after the invaders had been expelled, Bishop Angelario is said to have transported from the ruins of his city to Bari the relics of ss. Rufino, Memoro and Sabino. But just as there is no secure information concerning these events, neither is the alleged existence documented of a bull of Pope Sergio II, who, following this event, is said to have united the diocese of C. with that of Bari, which had been elevated to an archbishopric. Finally restored through the efforts of the Normans, C. rebuilt the cathedral dedicated to s. Sabino: Pope Pasquale II inaugurated it in 1101. Notable within it are the marble episcopal throne supported by two elephants, sculpted for Bishop Orso toward the end of the eleventh century, and the pulpit, the work of Acceptus archidiconus. Beside the cathedral is the tomb of Boemondo (d. 1111), with a beautiful bronze door, a hybrid of Byzantine and Arab art, signed by Rogerius Melfe Campanarum. It is certain that after the eleventh century the diocese of C. was united with that of Bari, recognized by Urbano II as the primatial see of Apulia, and no further names of bishops exclusively of C. are known. Even today the archbishop of Bari bears the title of C. as well.