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Pisticci is a commune in Matera province, Basilicata region. It has a population of about 19.000 inhabitants, mainly distributed in the urban centre and in the populous Marconia hamlet. The territory covers an area of 23.000 hectares. The landscape is very picturesque, it is the final result of the horrid grey of the deep and bare canyons, which untidily steep like flanks of fabulous monsters that emerge from the abysses, and the brightness of the little houses, which lined up and pleasant, cling to the inequal peak of the hill and are perpetually kissed by the most shining sun of the Lucania, that is also one of the most picturesque regions of Italy.

Far away, at the east side, the Ionian sea gives sparkling glares and reflects the brightness of our purest sky, like an immense emerald lake. Fruit trees are planted and during spring blond spikes storm in the luminous fileds; white little houses are scattered in vineyards and fields and show themselves among the perpetual green of olive trees.

Origins of the Name
According to the “LIBRO NEGRO di PISTICCI” (Pisticci Black Book), Pisticci was a castle of the Magna Graecia, about 10 miles away from Metaponto, where the divine Pythagoras taught philosophy and music to Italians. This castle had been built by Greeks on the summit of a very fertile cretaceous mountain around the III century a.C., between the Cassaneto (the present Basento) and Calandro (Salandra) rivers. In 291 a.C. the war between Trentini and Romani broke out. The metapontini gave their help to the Trentini: “... see the fortress where Pisticci rises today, which stood up to the impetus of the enemies, FAITHFUL was called the fortress...” from now on it was called PISTOIKOS which means faithful place (from Greek pistis=faith and oicos=place). According to Sinfisi (text: “historical rudiments or short analysis of the physical, economical and moral estate of the Pisticci commune”) the Metapontini found a village that had been already populated by shepherds; that is why the name Pisticci came from “Pestiz” (ancient French) and “Pesticius” (late Latin) which mean “land to graze”.