Troia | |
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Comune | |
Città di Troia | |
Cathedral of Troia at night
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Location of Troia in Italy | |
Coordinates: 41°22′N 15°18′E / 41.367°N 15.300°ECoordinates: 41°22′N 15°18′E / 41.367°N 15.300°E | |
Country | Italy |
Region | Apulia |
Province / Metropolitan city | Foggia (FG) |
Frazioni | Borgo Giardinetto |
Government | |
• Mayor | Edoardo Beccia |
Area | |
• Total | 167.22 km2 (64.56 sq mi) |
Elevation | 439 m (1,440 ft) |
Population (1 August 2009) | |
• Total | 7,414 |
• Density | 44/km2 (110/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Troiani |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
Postal code | 71029 |
Dialing code | 0881 |
Patron saint | Sts. Urbanus, Pontianus, Heleuterius, Anastasius and Secondinus |
Saint day | July 17 |
Website | Official website |
Troia (Greek: Αῖ̓και, transliterated as Aika or Aikai or Ece; Latin: Aecae or Æcæ; also formerly Troja) is a town and comune in the province of Foggia and region of Apulia in southern Italy.
According to the legend, Troia (Aecae) was founded by the Greek hero Diomedes, who had destroyed the ancient Troy.
Aecae was mentioned both by Polybius and Livy, during the military operations of Hannibal and Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus in Apulia. In common with many other Apulian cities it had joined the Carthaginians after the battle of Cannae, but was recovered by Fabius Maximus in 214 BC, though not without a regular siege.Pliny also enumerates the Aecani among the inland towns of Apulia (iii. 11); but its position is more clearly determined by the Itineraries, which place it on the Appian Way between Aequum Tuticum and Herdonia, at a distance of 29 to 31 kilometres (18 to 19 mi) from the latter city. This interval exactly accords with the position of the modern city of Troia, and confirms the statements of several chroniclers of the Middle Ages, that the latter was founded about the beginning of the 11th century, on the ruins of the ancient Aecae.
Cluverius erroneously identified Aecae with Accadia, a village in the mountains south of Bovino; but his error was rectified by Holstenius. Troia is an episcopal see, and a place of some consideration; it stands on a hill of moderate elevation, rising above the fertile plain of Apulia, and is 15 kilometres (9 mi) south of Lucera, and 22 kilometres (14 mi) southwest of Foggia.