I

LSI
TO

Fi
g.1I
mmagi
nesat
ell
i
tar
edelPar
coAr
cheol
ogi
coconl
epl
ani
met
ri
edel
l
est
rut
tur
enot
e.(
elabor
atoF
.Ri
ccieC.Bar
bisan)

I
l Parc oar cheol ogic omedi ev al edi Mi letoAnt ica( fi
g.1) ,intitolat oaMons .A.M.DeLor enz o,ac cogl i
el epr ez iose
t
es ti
moni anz ear cheol ogi c heemonument alidel l
ac itt
àdi et àmedi ev aleemoder na.Ir es t
i del cent roant i
co,pos t
i
abr ev edi stanz adal l’
at tual eMi leto,oc cupanoi nmani eradi somogeneat rer istr
et t
ec ol l
inedi spos tei nnat urale
prolungament oer ac c hius et raduepr ofondev allitorrent iz ie( fi
g.2) .Lac it
tà,s ortainet àbi z ant inaepot enz iata
i
net ànor manna,v ennedef i
ni t
iv ament eabbandonat adopoi l1783,as egui todi unv i
olent os i
s mac hedi strus s e
l
amaggi orpar tedel l’
ins edi ament o.
Leor i
gi nidel l
ac i
ttàs onopoc onot eedel lef as ipi ùant ic her imangonos car set es t
imoni anz edoc ument ariee
ri
dotteat tes taz i
onimat er ialiet oponomas ti
che.Lef ont is torichepi ùant iche( duec ronac hear abo- mus ulmanee
deibi oidis ant iitalo-gr ec i
)s idat anoalXs ec.d. C.et ras met tonol ’i
mmagi nediuni ns edi ament odipr i
mor dine
nell
’ar eageogr af i
cadelPor o,f ors egi àf ornitodis trutturedif or t
ifi
caz ioneepos toac ont rollodel l’ant i
cas t
rada
romana.
Nel1058,c os ìc omer ac c ont ai lmonac oGof f
redoMal at er ra,ilgi ovaneRugger or i
cev ettei ndonodaRober toil
Guis car doi lc as trum Mel itens e.Apar ti
redat alemoment of ur onopr es inumer osipr ov vedi ment ifinali
z zat ia
t
ras f
or mar equel l
oc heer aunpi cc oloc as t
el l
obi z ant i
nonel lac api taledel l
apot ent eCont eadi Cal abr iaedi Sic il
ia.
Conl ’i
s t
ituz i
onenel1081del las edev esc ovil
el ac i
ttà,not aanc heperav erbat t
utomonet a( fig.3) ,ac qui sìun
nuov os tatusur bano,ul ter iorment es ottol
ineat odal l
ac os truz ionedelc ompl ess oabbaz i
al ededi cato,i nor igine,
aS.Mi chel eAr cangel o. Apar ti
redai pr i
mi anni del l
ac onqui s t
a,i nol t
re,il cas trum er as tatof or tifi
c atoal f
inedi dar
f
or ma c onc reta al lac ompr es enz a dipi ù di stret tiammi nistrativ i
:quel l
oc omi tale,quel lov es cov il
e e quel lo
abbaz iale.
Tuttav ia,t ramont atal af as enor mannaedopounper i
ododif l
or i
dez z aar tis
ticaedar chi tettonic al egat aal l
a
commi ttenz adel laf ami gl iaf eudal edeiSans ev er i
no,l ’ins edi ament odiMi letoi nizi
òunapr ogr es sivaper dit
a
dell
’ant icac ent ralitàf eudal e,ul ter i
orment eaggr av atadaipes ant idanniar rec atidait err emot idelXVI IeXVI I
I
secol o.
Dellat opogr af i
adel l
’ant icoi ns edi ament odannot es timoni anz aduev edut e:l apr i
ma,del XVI Is ec olo,oper adi un
anoni moi nc i
s oreet r as mes s ac itrami t
ec opiadelXI Xs ec olo( f
ig.4) ;l ’
altraedi tadaG. B.Pac ichel l
inel1703
nell
’oper a“ Del Regnodi Napol i i
npr os pettiva”( f
ig.5) .I nent rambes onobenr i
c onos cibil
i i duec ont rappos ti poli
urbani :quel loabbaz ialedel l
aSS.Tr initàei lc ompl es s ov es cov ile,c onl aCat t
edr ale,ilSemi nar ioedi lPal az zo
delVes cov o.L’ abitat oer aar ric chitodanumer os iedi ficiec c l
es iasticimi nor iedadi v ers ipal az zis ignorilic he
segnav anoi l paes aggi odegl i ant i
c hi quar ti
eri.
Dopoi ls ismadel1783i ls it
ov ennec ompl etament eabbandonat oes poliatodeimonument al ires tiar chit
ettoni ci
super s ti
tiperi l rec uper odel mat er ial
edac os tr
uz i
onenec es sar i
oal l
’
edi fi
caz i
onedel l
anuov aMi l
et o( f
ig.6),pos ta
ac i
rc a2k m di di stanz a,i nz onapi aneggi anteel ungol av iabi l
itàpr inc i
pal e.
Purandando i nc ont ro a una c ompl et ar uralizz az ione ir es tidel l’
ant i
c o abi t
atov enner ov i
s i
tati,neidec enni
succ es sivi,dadi vers ii ntel l
et tual iev iaggiatoric hec ont ribuironoamant ener nev i
val amemor i
ac omel uogo
d’ori
gi nedel lamonar c hianor manna.
Apar ti
redagl is cor sianni ‘90i l sit
oèogget t
odi s tudi ar cheol ogi c iei ndagi ni di scav os trat i
gr af i
c o( f
ig.7) .

Themedi ev al arc haeol ogi cal par kofMi l

et oAnt i
ca( fi
g.1) ,namedaf terMons i
gnorA.M.DeLor enz o,hous est he
prec i
ousar c haeol ogi calandmonument alev i
denc eoft hemedi ev alc it
y .Ther emai nsoft heanc i
entc ent r e,
l
oc atedas hor tdis tanc ef rom pr es ent-dayMi l
etus,oc c upyi nanunev enmannert hreenar rowhi ll
sar rangedi na
natur alex tens ionandenc los edbet weent wodeept or rent i
alv alley s( fig.2) .Thec i
ty,builtint heBy zant ineage
ands trengt henedi nt heNor manage,wasdef i
niti
velyabandonedaf ter1783,f oll
owi ngav iolentear t
hquak et hat
des troyedmos toft hes ettlement .
Theor i
gi nsoft hec ityar el i
ttl
ek nownandl it
tl
edoc ument ar yev idenc eandl i
mi t
edmat er i
alandt opony mi c
evidenc er emai noft hemos tanc ientphas es .Theol des this t
or icals our ces( twoAr ab- Mus limc hroni clesandt he
bioisofI talian- Gr eeks ai nts )dat ebac ktot he10t hc ent ur y. A.D.andc onv eyt hei mageofaf i
rs t-
clas ss ettlement
i
nt hegeogr aphi c al areaoft hePor o,perhapsal readyequi ppedwi thf ortif
icat ions truc t
uresandpl ac edt oc ont rol
t
heanc i
entRomanr oad.
I
n1058,ast ol dbyt hemonkGof fredoMal at err
a,they oungRogerr ec ei vedt hec astrum Mel it
ens easagi ftf rom
Rober tGui s car d.Fr om t hatmomenton,numer ousmeas ur eswer et ak enai medatt r
ans formi ngwhatwasas mal l
By zant i
nec as tlei ntot hec apitaloft hepower fulCount yofCal abr iaandSi c il
y.Wi t
ht hees tabli
s hmentoft he
epis copal s eati n1081,t hec i
ty,al sok nownf orhav i
ngmi ntedmoney( fig.3) ,ac quiredanewur bans tatus ,fur t
her
under l
ined by t he c ons t
ruc tion oft he abbey c ompl ex or i
gi nally dedi cat ed t o St .Mi c haelt heAr changel .
Further mor e,s tar ti
ngf rom t hef irsty earsoft hec onques t,thec as tr
um hadbeenf or t
ifi
edi nor dert ogi vec onc ret e
f
or mt ot hec o-pr es enc eofs ev eral admi nistrati
v edis t
ric t
s :thec omi tal,t hebi shop' sandt heabbey '
s .
Howev er,onc et heNor manphas epas sedandaf teraper iodofar t
is t
icandar chit
ec turalpr os perityl i
nk edt ot he
patronageoft hef eudal Sans ev er i
nof ami ly,thes ettl
ementofMi l
et obeganapr ogres siv
el os sofi tsanc ientf eudal
cent rali
ty,f ur theraggr av atedbyt heheav ydamagec aus edbyt heear thquak esoft he17t hand18t hc ent ur y.
Twov i
ewsbearwi tnes st ot het opogr aphyoft heanc ients ettlement :thef irst,f r
om t he17t hc ent ury ,thewor kof
ananony mousengr av erandt r
ans mitt
edt ousv iaa19t hc ent uryc opy( f
ig.4) ;theot herpubl ishedbyG. B.
Pac ichel liin1703i nt hewor k“ Ont heKi ngdom ofNapl esi nper s pec tive”( f
ig.5) .Inbot hthet wooppos ingur ban
polesar ec lear lyr ec ogni sabl e:t heabbeyoft heSS.Tr initàandt hebi s hop' sc ompl ex ,witht heCat hedr al,the
Semi nar yandt heBi s hop' sPal ac e.Thet ownwasenr ichedbynumer ousmi norec c l
es i
as ticalbui ldingsand
sev eral s tatel ybui l
di ngst hatmar kedt hel ands capeoft heanc ientnei ghbor hoods .
Aftert heear thquak eof1783t hes it
ewasc ompl etel yabandonedands trippedoft hes ur vivi
ngmonument al
architec tur alr emai nsf ort her ec ov eryoft hebui l
dingmat erialnec es sar yf ort hec ons t
ruc t
ionoft henew Mi l
et o,
l
oc atedabout2k m away ,inaf latar eaandal ongt hemai nr oad( f
ig.6) .
Des pi t
eunder goi ngc ompl et er uralisati
on,t her emai nsoft heanc i
entt ownwer ev i
s i
ted,int hef ollowi ngdec ades ,
byv ariousi nt ellec tual sandt ravel erswhoc ontri
butedt ok eepi ngi tsmemor yal iveast hepl ac eofor iginoft he
Nor manmonar chy .
Sinc et he l as t1995,t he s i
te hasbeen t he s ubjectofar chaeol ogi cals tudi esand s tr
at i
gr aphi cex cav ation
i
nv es ti
gat ions( fi
g.7) .
BIBLI OGRAFIAESSENZI ALE
V.CAPI ALBI,Memor ieperser vireall
ast oriadel l
aSant aChi esaMi l
etese,Napol i,1835.
F.A.CUTERI ,Laci tt
àdiRugger o.Ricerchear cheol ogi
cheaMi l
eoVecchi ainCal abri
a( 1999- 2005) ,R.Fr ancovi
ch,M.Val enti(acur adi),I
VCongr essoNazional
edi Archeol
ogia
Medi eval
e,Fir
enze,2006,pp.173- 179.
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aMi l
etoVecchi ai nCalabr i
a( 1995e1999) ,inG.P.Br ogi
olo(acuradi) ,I
ICongr essoNazionalediArcheologi
aMedi eval
e,Fir
enze,
2000,pp.223- 233.
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et o,i
nS.Pat it
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ii
nI t
ali
a( 1994- 1995),Roma,1998,pp.85- 92.
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et oprenor manna,i nAt tidelICongr essoSt ori
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ier
i(acur adi),Stor i
adellaCal abria.Cat tedralidiCalabri
a,Roma,2002,pp.75- 87.
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cii ntornoal l
aci tt
àdiMi leto,Laur eanadiBor rello,1981.
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uratrecent escai nCal abr i
a:ilMaest r
odiMi let
o,i n“Bollettinod’ Art
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azi onedel l
’anti
cacat t
edral enor mannadi Mil
etoat tr
aver sol ascoper t
adi nuovet esti
monianze,in“ Quader nidell
'
Isti
tut
odiStori
adell'
Art
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àdi l
ett
ere
ef i
l
osofia(Messina) ”,vol.III,1979,pp.7- 15.
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aMi let
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i,Sover i
aMannel li
,1998,pp.93-101.
G.OCCHI ATO (acur adi )
,Rugger oIela“ pr ovinciaMel i
tana”,SoveriaMannel l
i,2001.
V.VONFALKENHAUSEN,Mi l
et otraGr ecieNor manni ,inChi esaesoci etànelMezzogi or no.St udiinonor ediMar i
aMar i
ott
i,Sover i
aMannel li
,1998,pp.109-133.

Fi
g.5Vedut
adel
l
’ant
icaci
tt
àdiMi
l
etoedi
tanel1703(
daG.
B.PACI
CHELLI
,DelRegnodiNapol
ii
nPr
ospet
ti
va,Napol
i
,1703)
.

Fi
g.2Stral
ci
ocar
togr
afi
codel
l
aCar
taTecni
caRegi
onal
e(1:
5’000)del
sit
odi
Mil
eto Fi
g.3 Fi
g.7
Vecchi
a.
Fi
g.3Esemplareditri
fol
l
arodiRuggeroIdall
aZeccadiMi l
eto.D/cavali
erecon
st
endar
do e l
egenda ROGERIUS COMES;R/Madonna i ntrono con Bambi
no e
l
egenda+MARI AMATERDNI( dabert
olami
f
ineart
.bi
dinsi
de.
com) .
Fig.7 Frammento cer
amico i
ninvet
ri
ata poli
croma databi
l
e alXI
IIsecol
o con l
a
rappresent
azi
one diun caval
i
ere.È st
ator ecuper
ato daimembridell
’
Accademia
Milesi
asull
acoll
i
nadelleLamie.

Fi
g.4Copiadel
lavedut
adiMil
etoeseguit
adaunorigi
naledelXVIIsecol
o(daF
. Fi
g.6 Pi ant
a del
l
a nuova Mil
eto esegui
ta dagl
iarchi
tett
iAntoni
o Wi nspear
ee
PI
TITTO,Perl
aconsacr
azi
onedell
aCattedr
alediMi
l
eto,ViboVal
enti
a,1930)
. FrancescoLaVega( daG.VIVENZI O,Ist
ori
ade’tremuotiavvenut
inell
aPr ovi
nci
a
dell
aCal abri
aul
ter
ior
e,enel
laci
ttàdiMessinanell
’
anno1783,Napol i
,1788).