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History Aeolian
In the Mediterranean Sea, north of Sicily, 700,000 years ago, seven volcanic islands emerged in the following order : Panarea, Filicudi, Alicudi, Salina, Lipari, Vulcano and Stromboli which, perhaps, has around 4000 years of age. In 183 B.C. “Vulcanello” (a peninsula of Vulcano) emerged, while, 1500 years ago had place the last eruption of pumice and obsidian on the Mount Pelato in Lipari .
The islands of Lipari and Salina were the first to be occupied, some centuries before 4000 B.C., attracted by the obsidian, the black glass erupted by the volcano of Lipari, that became an important resource of the island due to the fact that metals were still not known and the sharpness of this rock was used to built weapons and utensils. When the extraordinary prosperity of Lipari was to its apogee, around the year 3000 B.C. it started to be inhabited not only by Sicilians but also by many people from the Adriatic coast. They settled on the natural fortress known today as the Castle. In the meantime also the smaller islands started to be populated.
For a few centuries (II half of the III millennium B.C.) the Aeolian Islands go through an economic and demographic recession. In the second half of the VIII century B.C. the Greek population colonize southern Italy and Sicily, starting on the island of Lipari a new flourishing period. To these years belong the legends that refer to the Odyssey of Omero and to King Eolo that grants Ulysses with the leather bag of winds. In Lipari the Doric Greeks prepare a powerful fleet to self assure the supremacy on the sea and shortly after the 2000 B.C. installations of round huts, surrounded by a wall in stones and mud are built.
Around 900 B.C. Lipari is almost entirely destroyed and loses its independence. At first Lipari is dominated by the Syracuse, then it fell under the yoke of the Carthaginian and became their best naval stations during the first Punic war. In 252 B.C. Lipari was conquered by the Romans and once again completely destroyed.
During late Middle Eve Lipari was destination of pilgrimages giving birth to many traditions connected to religion. In the 839 Lipari was destroyed from a raid of Muslims that profaned the relics of St. Bartholomew. Some old monks managed to collect the relics and took them to Salerno and from there to Benevento.
For some centuries Lipari remained deserted until the Normans conquered Sicily urbanizing also Lipari. After numerous afflictions, Lipari was rebuilt and repopulated by Charles V and since then it followed the fates of Sicily and the kingdom in Naples.
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