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| Inhabitants’name: Specchiesi
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The civic coat of arms
of Specchia represents an almond tree on a heap of stones. The toponym derives
from the ancient
 "specchie"
situated on the territory of this small town: they consisted of heaps of
enormous stones and they date to the Bronze Age. In the past they were probably
used as sepulchres or lookout posts. The origins of this centre are ancient and
it might have been founded in the Roman period. According to popular story it
was founded by a Roman matron, Lucrezia Amendolara, and the main road of
Specchia is called after her. During the Middle Ages the population increased a
lot, also thanks to the strategic position of the town, being very distant from
the sea. The feudal age began after the arrival of the Norman king Tancredi, who
in 1190, gave this feud to the County of Lecce. Tancredi died in 1194, after
leaving the feud to Filiberto Monteroni who ruled it until 1266, when the
Swabians were defeated by the Angevins. In the XIV century Rodolfo d'Alneto took
over and Specchia was annexed to the County of Alessano and both Gualtiero VI di
Brienne, Earl of Lecce, and Francesco Della Ratta contended for it. In the XV
century Specchia was governed by Giacomio Del Balzo, who was succeed by the
Astores, the Falcones, the Pignatellis, the Ripas and the Risolo, who governed
until 1806. Two of the most important and well-known people of Spechhia are
Bernardino Colella and Ercole Balsamo.
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