la famigila Vincenzo D'Ambrosio

Dragoni

City of Dragoni

Dragoni is located 24 km from A2 highway, at the tollgate of Caianello going on the state route 158 until the exit to Dragoni. The railroad station Dragoni center is on the Alifana line with connections to Piedimonte
The most important hamlets are: MAIORANO DI MONTE It can be reached by the state route 158 (which is 6 km distant), by the provincial route to Liberi. S. MARCO It can be reached by the state route 158, the provincial route to Liberi (which is 1 km distant). ASCHETTINI It can be reached by the state route 158, the state route to Liberi (which is 0,3 km distant). CHIAIO It can be reached by the state route 158, the provincial route to Liberi.
A bit of history There are some ruins of the first settlemts of Dragoni that date back to the preistorhic age. They are walls 200 metres long and 4 high near the medieval castle. Dragoni was certanly part of Compulteria during the pre-roman and roman times. The Samnite town of Compulteria was occupied by the roman consul Fabio for two times during the war against Annibale. The town was destroyed by the Goths first and definitively by the Saracens in the IX century. The inhabitans escaped to the nearby mounts creating the medieval village. The inhabitants left the mountain and went to the plane along the present state route Sannitica in 1325. Dragoni had no historical events and it was independent during the first times. According to some historians the name of the town derives from the presence of many big snakes. According to the tradition they were exsorcized by a man who became their victim. The first historical news of "Traguni" date back to the year 812 A.C.. It has a donation done by the gastaldo of Benevento Maione to the monastery of S. Vincenzo al Volturno built in the century before. Like the other town of the area also "Traguni" is mentioned in the bull of S. Stefano Menicillo, Bishop of Caiazzo, (979 A.C.) in which are listed all the churches that were subject to the jurisdiction of the new bishop, among them "...Sanctus Andreas, et sanctus Petrus, et Sanctus Vincentius, et Sanctus Andreas, et Sanctus Cesarius in Traguni". Dragoni was part of the county of Caiazzo and was tied to its history, for this reason it was occupied by the Longobards, Normans, Angevines and Aragonesi. The importance of the feud of Dragoni was documented by its value during the first crusade. It had a value of seven militi while the near towns were valued not much then three or four militi. The Di Baldano held the feud during the Norman time and kept it for seven generations. The feud subsequently passed to the Ruffo, the De Carloni, the Falco and since 1620 to the Gaetano d'Aragona. Dragoni had the land register in 1741. Dragoni sent 26 volontaries to the "Legione del Matese" that fought with Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860. From the 15 to the 19 of October 1943 Dragoni knew the distruction of the war, the people escaped to the mountains but one third of the town was destroyed. Among the lords of Dragoni we remember Goffredo of Dragoni who was vicar of king Carlo I in 1283, Senator of Roma and Chief of Amministratore of the Urbe. Dragoni is now formed by seven hamlets: Maiorano di Monte; Chiaio; S. Giorgio; S. Marco; Pantano; Trivolischi; Aschettini