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Evidence of this fact
is in the original name of thge city "Reghinna major"; the
etymological root "inna" is clearly of Etruscan derivation. Come
trace the origins of Maiori to the Romans, as they also do for the
entire Amalfi Coast, basing their opinion on the archeological
findings which date back to the Roman Empire. Other historians
instead maintain that Maiori was built in the ninth century by
Prince Sicardo of Salerno.
Maiori, a colony of
Amalfi, seat of the Arsenals, the Admiralty, as well as the Customs
house and the salt warehouse, resisted the Norman incursion for some
time. But in 1268 Maiori was pillaged by the Pisans, eternal rivals
of the Amalfi Republic; the Pisans, with numerous galley ships,
destroyed and pillaged the entire Amalfi Coast.
It was not long
before Maiori established a flourishing mercantile marine and was
able to build ships of great capacity. But in 1343 a sea-quake
destroyed most of the coastline and most of the little city of
Maiori as well. The city rapidly recovered from the catastrophe and
the major economic activities resumed along the valley of the
Reginna Major river; the entire valley gained importance with its
concentration of manufacturing establishments.
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