The area where Montefredane stands today was inhabited in ancient times by the Samnites . Later , Roman populations settled near the present days village of Arcella . The main buildings of Montefredane date back to the sixth century AD , when the inhabitants of Abellinum ( now Atripalda ) fled here after the destruction of their village . In the Middle Ages , Montefredane was mentioned in the '' Catalogus Baronum '' ( 1150 &ndash; 68 ) as part of the county of Avellino . In the following centuries , through ups and downs related to the names of several noble families , such as De Tufo , Capece , Brancaccio and Orsini , Montefredane gained increasing importance , until the plague of 1656 greatly reduced its development . Between 1650 and 1806 the land was owned by the noble family of Caracciolo , who brought it to its former splendor with the construction of the castle . The town was badly damaged by the 1980 Irpinia earthquake
1980 Irpinia earthquake
1980 Irpinia earthquake
Montefredane