▁was ▁a ▁port ▁at ▁the ▁j unction ▁of ▁the ▁road ▁which ▁basically ▁followed ▁the ▁Adri atic ▁coast ▁( but ▁giving ▁the ▁G arg anus ▁mountain ' s ▁pen ins ula ▁just ▁north ▁a ▁miss ) ▁and ▁a ▁road ▁through ▁Ar pi , ▁Luc eria , ▁A ec ae ▁and ▁A equ um ▁T ut icum ▁connecting ▁at ▁B ene vent um ▁to ▁the ▁Via ▁App ia . ▁ ▁In ▁AD ▁ 6 6 3 ▁it ▁was ▁taken ▁and ▁destroyed ▁by ▁the ▁S lav s ▁( N ar ent ines ). ▁In ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁century , ▁S ip ont um ▁was ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁Sar ac ens . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 0 4 2 ▁the ▁Norm ans ▁made ▁it ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁twelve ▁count ies , ▁while ▁the ▁Monte ▁G arg ano ▁remained ▁By z antine . ▁The ▁Norm ans ▁won ▁a ▁decis ive ▁victory ▁there ▁over ▁the ▁By z antine ▁general ▁Ar gy rus ▁in ▁ 1 0 5 2 . ▁S ip onto ▁was ▁an ▁arch bishop ric ▁in ▁the ▁Norman ▁count ship ▁of ▁Ap ul ia . ▁▁ ▁Having ▁become ▁un he alth y ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁st agn ation ▁of ▁the ▁water ▁in ▁the ▁l ago ons ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 2 2 3 ▁earth qu ake , ▁S ip onto ▁was ▁abandoned . ▁The ▁modern ▁city ▁of ▁Man fred onia ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁King ▁Man fred ▁between ▁ 1 2 5 6 – 1 2 6 3