Pontine Marshes
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an area in W Italy, SE of Rome: formerly marshy, now drained.
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Italian Agro Pontino,reclaimed area in Latina provincia, Lazio (Latium) regione, south-central Italy, extending between the Alban Hills, the Lepini Mountains, and the Tyrrhenian Sea, and traversed by the Appian Way. Two tribes, the Pomptini and the Ufentini, lived in this district in early Roman times, but the region was already marshy and malarial during the later years of the Roman Republic. Several emperors and popes made unsuccessful attempts at reclamation, but throughout modern history the marshes remained unhealthy, inhabited by a handful of shepherds, with small fields on the higher eastern edge where peasants from towns high on the Lepini Mountains cultivated wheat. Rough pasture and maquis (a tough scrub) covered most of the area.In 1928 the Fascist government launched a drive to drain the marshes, clear the vegetation, and settle several hundred families. Towns were built in the former wilderness: Littoria (now Latina) in 1932, Sabaudia in 1934, Pontinis in 1935, Aprilia in 1937, and Pomezia in 1939. On the eve of World War II the only areas in which the original vegetation remained were in the Monte Circeo National Park. Damage done to the farms and drainage works and canals during World War II was later repaired, and the Agro Pontino (area about 300 square miles [777 square km]) is now one of the most productive in Italy, yielding cereals, sugar beets, fruit, vegetables, and livestock. Light industry was established in the area from 1960 onward with subsidies from a regional development program, the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno (“Fund for the South”).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Pontine Marshes — [pän′tēn΄, pän′tīn΄] region in central Italy, southeast of Rome: formerly swampy, now reclaimed … English World dictionary
Pontine Marshes — The Pontine Marshes ( Agro Pontino in Italian) is a former marsh area in the Lazio Region of Central Italy, southeast of Rome, that today forms a low tract of land, the Agro Pontino , varying in breadth between the Volscian Mountains and the sea… … Wikipedia
PONTINE MARSHES — a district, 26 m. by 17, in the S. of the Campagna of Rome, one of the three malarial districts of Italy, and the most unhealthy of the three, extending about 30 m. in length and 10 or 11 in varying breadth, is grazing ground for herds of… … The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
Pontine Marshes — geographical name district central Italy in SW Lazio, separated from sea by low sand hills that prevent natural drainage; now reclaimed … New Collegiate Dictionary
Pontine Marshes — Pon′tine Marsh′es [[t]ˈpɒn tin, taɪn[/t]] n. geg an area in W Italy, SE of Rome: formerly marshy, now drained … From formal English to slang
Pontine Marshes — /pɒntin ˈmaʃəz/ (say ponteen mahshuhz) plural noun an area in western Italy, south east of Rome; formerly marshy, now drained … Australian English dictionary
Pontine Marshes — an area in W Italy, SE of Rome: formerly marshy, now drained … Useful english dictionary
Pontine — /pon teen, tuyn/, adj. of or pertaining to the Pontine Marshes. * * * … Universalium
Italy — • In ancient times Italy had several other names: it was called Saturnia, in honour of Saturn; Enotria, wine producing land; Ausonia, land of the Ausonians; Hesperia, land to the west (of Greece); Tyrrhenia, etc. The name Italy, which seems to… … Catholic encyclopedia
Charles Coleman (English painter) — Not to be confused with Charles Caryl Coleman. Charles Coleman Charles Coleman, etc … Wikipedia
