Cities, towns, and Urban Districts in Southern Italy

In order to write about the towns of southern Italy we must first explain the meaning in this part of Europe of the terms ‘city’, ‘town’, ‘urban district’ (ter- ritorio, distretto, contado) and ‘municipal government’ (universitas/università, comune). Such terms may seem immediately comprehensible but in fact need clarification if we are to avoid the errors of interpretation which can still be found in studies of the urban history of southern Italy during the Renaissance. This chapter sets out to define the meaning of the word ‘town’ in the language of the time, the features and functions of urban districts, and how urban admin- istration, which was part of the administration of the State, worked.