• 

Troia stand where the expanses of wheat of the Tavoliere stop and the hills of the Duano Subapennines start. A city with very ancient roots, considered the heir of “Aece” (Apulian town and later Roman colony), Troia underwent many sieges and destructions over the centuries. The Bishopric of Troia reported directly to Rome, and for this reason was often in conflict with sovereigns and emperors. The Byzantine “captaincy” Basìlio Bojoannes founded it with its current name along the Via Traiana in 1019; he wanted to turn it into a fortress against the Papacy and Western Emperors. But after a long siege, in 1022 the city embraced the Roman church and witnessed a particularly thriving time. During the 11th and 12th centuries, as a see, the city hosted numerous ecumenical councils. The city’s decline began with the siege of Frederick II’s troops in 1229, which was unable to reconquer its past splendour, despite a rebirth under the Angevins.