SALPI. – Ancient diocese. The ancient “Elpie,” “Salapia,” “Salapinon,” near present-day Trinitapoli (province of Foggia), was distinguished into Greek “Salapia” and Roman “Salapia” and, according to the notaries of the sixteenth century, into “Salapia vetus et nova,” because, after the first had been destroyed on account of the unhealthy air, the second was built in a more salubrious location.
The Greek city, as Vitruvius states, stood four miles from the seashore, toward the West, between the salt lake and the tower of Rivoli; the Roman city, seven miles from the former, toward the East, lay near present-day Montaltino. The alluvial deposits of the Cervaro and Carapelle rivers, which become marshy at that point, have caused their ruins to disappear. It is known that Greek “Salapia” had a large port, the harbor of Arpi or Argiripa (Foggia). Its bishopric begins with a series of about twenty bishops, of whom the historically best-attested names range from the eleventh to the sixteenth century, as F. Lanzoni demonstrates. The last, Tommaso Stella, transferred to Lavello in 1544, closes the series, and S.,
as a suffragan see of Bari, was permanently
subjected to the jurisdiction of the archbishop
of Trani. In 1310 the bishop was taxed
one ounce, and the Chapter and clergy of S.
two ounces and 12 tari, by the Apostolic
See. Dependent on S. were Tressanti,
Stornara, and the provostship of Ca-
nosa.
According to the Regetta Angioina, the bishop
exacted the rights of fowling and fishing
in the salt and freshwater Pantano, as well as
the terrage of his territories (1271). The two
marshes were exceedingly rich in eels. King
Carlo I had a Palace and Chapel near the
marsh; he wished the 30 ducats that the
Duke of Burgundia was to give to the Curia
of S. to be given to the bishop Pietro of
the same city for the construction of the bell tower
of S. Nicola, the principal church of the city
(1271), and in 1283 he granted the same bishop
the privilege of the fair of S. Marghe-
rita, virgin and martyr, for eight days in
the month of July.