Caltanissetta.
According to some scholars Caltanissetta's origin
goes back to the ancient Nissa, of which it is thought
to be the southern part. Others believe that the city
was founded by the Arabs, as its name suggests: it
is a combination of the Arabic term Qal'at (castle)
and Nissa. Historical references date from the Norman
Conquest, when in l086 Count Roger founded the Priorato
di San Giovanni (St John's Priory) and began to develop
the territory. In the l4th c. the city was the scene
of the struggles between the Ventimiglia and the Chiaromonte
factions, and in l406 it passed to the Moncadas of
Paternò. Between the l5th and l6th c. the city
began to expand beyond the mediaeval boundary walls,
with the creation of the quarters of Santa Flavia,
San Rocco gli Zingari and San Francesco. It became
a provincial capital in l8l8. After the unification
of Italy, the city's economy was considerably boosted
by the development of sulphur mining.
