| Notes |
- According to Angelo Di Duca's descendant, Vincenzo James (Jacobus) Di Duca, the land and home the Di Duca family owned in Atina, Italy had been in the family for over 400 years.
"Italian Titles of Nobility," authored by L. Mendola, copyright 1997, relates that there was a time, until 1812 in some regions, when the purchase of land designated "feudal" ennobled the buyer ipso facto; the purchase of a comital fief (a county) thus became a count. This practice ceased with the abolition of feudalism (Serfdom, a feudal institution, was abolished in Italy during the middle Ages.) A number of families still own portions of their traditional feudal holdings, but feudal rights and prerogatives of any kind were finally abrogated by the time that Italy was united in 1870. Although most Italian titles are attached to nominal "seats" (territorial designations), usually the name of fiefs or dimore, the ranks and titles are incorporeal. That is to say that, like an idea, name or copyright, the titles constitute a form of intangible property, but property nonetheless. In fact, this is true of nobilitary titles in most nations; the Duke of Westminster, for example, would retain his ancestral title even if he had no actual property in the dukedom of Westminster.
As recently as the eleventh century, the sovereign rulers of vast regions --Savoy in the north and Sicily in the south - - were known by the simple title of count. Until around 1300, titles of nobility were hardly necessary as indications of high birth because aristocrats bore surnames, while the common people were known only by given names. At this early date, aristocratic surnames were usually toponymic, based upon the name of the family's fief (di Grosseto, di Noto, etc.). This has led some to believe that there exists in Italian a surname prefix or other onomastic characteristic, akin to the German "von", which indicates nobility. This is not true, nor do double-barrelled surnames indicate aristocratic origins; most often a dual surname simply indicates that numerous families in the same town bore the same surname and eventually required differentiation to distinguish among themselves. A nobleman's name sometimes includes a predicator, though not a title. Thus, Giuseppe Lanza, Prince of Trabia bears the surname "Lanza di Trabia", rather than simply Lanza (a common surname), on legal documents. So great were the differences between the rulers and the ruled in medieval Italy that a common man would not think to impersonate a knight or lord, although this has certainly changed."
DUCA, Duchessa (Duke, Duchess). Derived from the Latin dux, a military leader, this title originally was reserved to the sovereign rulers of important territories, such as the Duchy of Spoleto. Like princedoms, dukedoms are sometimes borne by peers whose early medieval forebears were barons, enfeoffed knights or other feudatories. Like princes, dukes were formerly accorded the address "Your Excellency." The younger son of a duke and the heir before succession to the title, is a nobile dei duchi di (seat), namely a "noble of the dukes of" some place. Dukes and their consorts are most formally addressed verbally by title and territorial designation. The heraldic coronet of a duke is a jewelled circlet of gold surmounted by five visible strawberry leaves. Usually, the crimson tasselled cap is not rendered within the coronet.
Atina's legendary beginnings are rooted in the myths surrounding the god "Saturn" who, legend has it, built the first city here, to help oppose the Greeks who were landed in the peninsula about 2,800 years ago. According to Roman historians, in the fifth century BC the Volsci, a tribe of Umbri-Sabelli people of Slavic origin, invaded the area and occupied the town of Atina. Forming a coalition with the Samnites and the Aesci, and with the aid of the legendary Coriolanus, they fought bravely against the Romans. Eventually, however, Atina fell to the Romans. The area came under a "prefecture" (district controlled by the government of Rome), later became a colony, then finally gained the rank of a municipality. In this way it became the most important town in the valley, and Virgil referred to it as "potens". Today there is much evidence to be seen in this era, such as the pre-Roman town walls, built approximately 1000 BC, which were made from carved polygonal blocks.
VOL.SCI from The Oxford Classical Dictionary, p 1131, copyright 1970. Volsci descended from central Italy in the sixth century B.C. And by 500 had established themselves in the middle Liris Vally and regions southeast of the Alban Hills. Chief towns: Sora, Arpinum, ATINA, Privernum, Ecetra, Antium, Cerceii, Anxur (- Tarracina), Valitrae and possibly Pometia. Casual mention of Volsci in regal times is untrustworthy, but thereafter they became and for 200 years remained a threat which Rome met by signing an alliance with Latina and Henrici c. 493. The Aequi aided the Volsci. Fifth-century Volscian operations are known only from garbled Roman accounts; but Coriolanus' exploits and defensive Latin colonies at Signia (495), Norba (492), and Ardea (442) imply Volscian successes. In 434, however, the Latin allies defeated the Aequi then repulsed the Volsci. Volsci opposed Rome in the Latin War, but were defeated by C. Maenius. By 304 all Volsci were subject to Rome and so rapid and complete was their romanization that their original civilization can scarcely be discovered. Their language resembles Umbrian. Although often represented as a unitary nation they were not cohesive. Some Volscis faced Rome singly, and those in the Liris valley obviously acted independently of those near the Tyrrhenian coast.
After the Romans, there was continual invasion and plundering by the barbarians. On the 9th September 1349, a tremendous earthquake struck central Italy, which devastated much of Atina. The town was rebuilt through the determination of the residents, and the financial help of the Cantle family. There is much to indicate the town's importance in Medieval times, such as the elegant Palazzo Ducal of the Cantle family, built in the 14th century which houses the Town Hall, and also a Museum which preserves many interesting artifacts and antiquities, such as frescoes depicting community life of the Medieval period. There are also the ruins of the fort on the hill of San Stefano, the churches of San Stefano and of San Marco with its Romanesque bell tower and many chapel frescoes of the 14th century, and the church and convent of San Francesesco. There are a number of grand old houses to be found in Atina, dating back over several centuries that were the palaces of wealthy families of the area.
Atina is located some 40 miles southeast of Frosinone and is one of the 91 communities in the province of Frosinone, Region of Lazio. (Also designated as the Region of Campania, Province of Caserta, Commune of Atina, no doubt because Atina appears to be on the border of both Provinces) Today there are less than 10,000 people. Atina is situated at the base of a mountain on the way from Sora towards Cassino. It looks above the "Comino Valley", and is surrounded by more than a dozen other small towns who converge to Atina for its shopping centers. An attached map shows the village of Atina, and an area above Atina that is designated as "Duca". The Abbey of Monte Cassino located at Cassino could be viewed from the Di Duca home. Seventy-two families are still living in Atina, Italy.
In the late 1800's the poorer classes, many of whom were shepherds, farmers, farm laborers and unskilled workers in Atina experienced hardship because the Italian land system did not offer much hope for personal improvement. The Italian governmental policy aspired to industrialize the entire nation at the expense of the people. Landlords charged high rates, paid low wages and failed to provide reliable employment. Between 1870 and 1900 the production of foodstuffs, except for fresh fruit, fish, tomatoes and vegetables slowed, resulting in poverty and malnutrition that spread throughout Italy. particularly for those in southern Italy.
Many villagers, particularly those in southern Italy, and especially those in Atina were leaving to escape poverty and hoping to find better prospects elsewhere. As early as 1872 the great migration began from Italy, reaching its peak between 1880 and 1920. Among those who found that their survival depended upon relocation was Angelo Di Duca's grandson, Benedetto Di Duca, the first known member of that family to leave Italian soil, having made several trips to New York, first arrived in 1908, returned to Italy, sailed again for New York in 1911, returned to Italy, then made his finaly return to New York City in 1912, from which point the family finally settled in Port Huron, Michigan.
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