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'''Aveia''' was an ancient town of the [[Vestini]] and Roman former bishopric, which remains a Latin Catholic [[titular see]].
Its site is on the [[Via Claudia Nova]], c. 10&nbsp;km south-east of [[L'Aquila]], N.E. of the modern village of [[Fossa (Italy)|Fossa]], in central [[Italy]]'s [[Abruzzo]] region.
Some remains of ancient buildings still exist, and the name Aveia still clings to the place. The identification was first made by V. M. Giovenazzi in ''Della Città di Aveia ne' Vestini'' (1773). Paintings in the church of S. Maria ad Cryptas, of the 12th to 15th centuries, are important in the history of art. An inscription of a [[stationarius (Roman military)|stationarius]] of the 3rd century, sent here on special duty (no doubt for the suppression of [[brigandage]]), was found here in 1902.<ref>{{harvnb|Chisholm|1911|p=52}} cites [[Alfred von Domaszewski]], ''Röm. Mitt.'', 1902, 330.</ref>
== Ecclesiastical history ==
=== Residential Bishopric ===
The [[bishopric]] of '''Aveia (Vestina)''' was founded in the mid-5th century <ref>.[http://www.katolsk.no/organisasjon/verden/chronology/italy Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Italy]</ref> (circa 450 AD) and disappeared, along with the town, in the 6th-century devastations of the [[Lombards]], circa 500 AD.
[[Maximus of Aveia]], a native of the town and a [[deacon]], was [[martyr]]ed in the persecution of [[Decius]], [[Roman Emperor]] from 249 to 251. The bishopric of Aveia may have arisen because of veneration of his relics. After the destruction of the town, these were removed to a nearby town which became known as ''Civitas Sancti Maximi'' (Saint Maximus Town), which thereupon became the seat of the diocese. From there, in 1256, they were moved to the new town and [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of L'Aquila|diocese of L'Aquila]].<ref>[http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91218 Santibeati, "San Massimo d'Aveia"]</ref><ref>Francesco Lanzoni, ''[https://archive.org/stream/MN5017ucmf_0#page/n387/mode/2up Le diocesi d'Italia dalle origini al principio del secolo VII (an. 604)]'', vol. II, Faenza 1927, pp. 365-370</ref>
=== Titular see ===
No longer a residential bishopric, Aveia is listed by the [[Catholic Church]] as <ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), p. 843</ref> [[titular bishopric]] of Aveia since the diocese was nominally restored in January 2009.
Its only incumbent so far has been, of fitting episcopal (lowest rank) :
* Titular Bishop (2009.01.30 – ...) Raúl Antonio Chau Quispe, [[Auxiliary Bishop]] of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lima|Lima]] (Peru)
== Notes ==
{{reflist}}
==Sources and external links==
;Attribution
* {{EB1911|wstitle=Aveia|volume=3|page=52}}
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t2063.htm GCatholic ]
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|42|18|0|N|13|29|23|E|type:landmark_region:IT|display=title}}
[[Category:Ghost towns in Italy]]
[[Category:Catholic titular sees in Europe]]
[[Category:5th-century establishments in Italy]]
[[Category:6th-century disestablishments in Italy]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 5th century]]
[[Category:Populated places disestablished in the 6th century]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Abruzzo]]