The origin of the communal name probably comes from the colour "carminium" (red), another one that it came from a name of the Roman centurion "Carminius" which assigned to the Roman Senate, the land at the time was in the area of Messapia and was situated in the country.
The Messapians or Messapii were inhabited, in historical times,Herodotus ( Ζ΄ 170), says they came from Crete - the south-eastern peninsula or "heel" of Italy (Salento, modern Apulia), known variously in ancient times as Calabria, Messapia and Iapygia.
Messapia |
The legitimate iron age sequel to the Neolithic and bronze age culture of Matera and Molfetta has not yet been discovered and the pre-history of Daunia, Peucetia and Messapia begins to take shape as a coherent whole only with the 7th century.