Around the year one thousand the whole Italy started to be repopulated. New areas were built and ancient towns rebuilt: from the southern regions (Sicilia, Calabria, Puglia) to the woody slopes of 'Cimino' mountain, to the marshes and large state forests of Val Padana. In the South, particularly, numerous groups of homesteads and farmhouses ("casàlia") increased. The homesteads, that still exist, were converted into "pagi" or "vici"; the smaller centres of the town became larger and known as "castra", or "castella" or also "oppida". Religious faith grew and new churches and cathedrals (the well-known "roman cathedrals" with white stones) were built at the same time in Lazio, Campania and Puglia. On the hills of the "Alto Sannio", around the year one thousand, despite the continuous battles between 'Bizantini' (or "thema") from Puglia and 'Longobardi' from Benevento, there was a swarm of people living in small rural centres, little "vici" ,"pagi" or homesteads. They gathered together in the highest parts of the hills. All of them were in a defensive position because of evident fear of 'Saraceni's incursions. New centres increased also on the border between 'Sannio' and 'Puglia', where battles between the prince Longobardic from Benevento and the "Catapano" (that is the Byzantine governor of Puglia) carried on. Around the year 1018 when the region 'Puglia' was ruled by the 'Catapano' Basilio Bojoannes, several fortresses were built between Benevento and Siponto Garganico to defend the Daunia, from which "Catapano" took the name "Catapanata" (later changed into "Capitanata"). In the Chronicle by Leone Ostiense we read: "In that circumstance the 'Catapano Boiano', that had already built Troia in the upper part of the region Puglia, also built 'Dragonara', 'Ferentino', and Civitate, as well as the rest of the villages usually called "Capitanata". In short, all the inhabitants of the surrounding areas were gathered together. It was at that time that, on the extreme side of a rough slope of the 'Appennino Campano', on the last piece of 'Sannita' land (close to the broad valley where the river 'Fortore' recieves from the left, the water from the torrent 'Cervaro') a centre (called, till today, "Baselice") populated by a group of inhabitants developed. It can be stated without any doubt thanks to a historical document (that is still kept in 'Troia', in the district of Foggia) on which it is mentioned the name of this centre. Probably the name "Baselice" comes from the greek word "basiliké", (pronounced "vasilicé") that means (earth) belonging to the king (referring, at that time, to the imperator, "basileus") of the East ,Basilio II. In latin the word became "Basìlice" or "Basìlica" then in Italian it became "Basélice", "Basélce" (changing the 'i' into 'e') and finally changed in "Vasélice", "Vasìlici","Vasélce", "Vaséuce". When the Normans arrived, they ruled our districts from 1059 to 1189. At that point the beginning of the history of Baselice started. The built-up area slowly took the typical structure of the centres of that period: in a lower position the castle with towers, the feudal palace, the door (called "Porta da Capo"): on the left side the church with roman arches next to the door (called "Porta da Piedi"); on the right side the tower. This small centre took 'San Leonardo Abate' as its Patron Saint, a French Saint whose cult was introduced in Italy by the Normans. The first historical document concerning the Church of Baselice dates back to 1334 - 1335: it concerns a disciplinary measure taken by the king Roberto D'Angiò against the feudal lord Leonasio De Mastralibus (who owned half-fief of Baselice) in favour of Giacomo, priest of the 'San Leonardo's Church. This measure in favour of the priest against the feudal prevented him from exercising his rights, swindling him out of wheat and all the products, was made soon again. The first historical document concerning the clergy of Baselice goes back to 1308 - 1310. The clergy paid at that time six "tari" for every tenth part of the taxes .

(prof. Fiorangelo Morrone)