lapia," "Salapinon," near present-day Trinitapoli
(province of Foggia) was distinguished into "Salapia"
Greek and "Salapia" Roman, and according to the notaries of
the 1500s, into "Salapia vetus et nova," because, the first
having been destroyed due to the unhealthy air, the second
was built in a more salubrious location.
The Greek city, as Vitruvius affirms, was situated four
miles from the seashore, to the west, between the salt lake
and the tower of Rivoli; the Roman city, seven miles from
the former, to the east, remained near present-day Montaltino.
The silting up of the Cervaro and Carapelle rivers, which in
that area become marshy, has caused their ruins to disappear.
It is known that the "Salapia" Greek had a large port,
a stopover for Arpi or Argiirpa (Foggia). Its bishopric begins
with a series of about twenty bishops, of whom the most
historically attested names range from the 11th to the 16th
century, as demonstrated by F. Lanzoni. The last, Tommaso
Stella, transferred to Lavello in 1544, closes the series and S.,
from being a suffragan of Bari, is perpetually subjected to the
jurisdiction of the archbishop of Trani. In 1310 the bishop
was taxed for one ounce and the Chapter and clergy of S.
for two ounces and twelve tari by the Apostolic See.
Dependent upon S. were Tressanti, Stornara, and the
prepositura of Canosa.
According to the Regesta Angioina the bishop
exercised the right of fowling and fishing in the salt and
freshwater marshes and the tithes of his territories (1271).
The two marshes were extremely rich in eels. King
Charles I had, near the marsh, a palace and chapel; he
wished that the 30 ducats owed by the Duke of Burgundy
to the Curia of S. be given to Bishop Pietro of the same
city for the construction of the bell tower of S. Nicola,
the main church of the city (1271), and in 1283 he granted
the same bishop the privilege of the fair of St. Margaret
the virgin and martyr for eight days in the month of July.