Cersosimo

The Syllabus Graecarum Membranarum, a collection of donations and sales catalogued since 1034 and referring to the Basilian Monastery of Kir-Zosimi, contains a clear reference to the modern town of Cersosimo. The town's name is thought to derive from the words “Cyr” (abbot) and “Zosimus”, who was probably the founder of the monastery, first mentioned in 1063.

Traces of a very old settlement unearthed below the castle town are evidence of the strategic importance in ancient times, as a strategic location which allowed control of the entry points to the valleys, and as a lookout to control access to the Ionian coast, with links to other fortified sighting posts.

Historical research has revealed that after the 3rd century AD, the town was abandoned, before it was rebuilt during the Middle Ages as a farm estate, extending further down the valley around a Basilian monastery. After passing under Norman rule in the 11th century, the town came under the control of feudal houses including the Sanseverino and Pignatelli families, and was then re-established during the 16th century.