From this place a man can travel fifteen miles along a road under the mountains, a work executed by King Romulus who built the city of Rome.  He was prompted to this by fear of King David and Joab his general[30].  He built fortifications both upon the mountains and below the mountains reaching as far as the city of Naples.  Naples is a very strong city, lying upon the sea-board, and was founded by the Greeks.  About 500 Jews live here, amongst them R. Hezekiah, R. Shallum, R. Elijah Hacohen and R. Isaac of Har Napus, the chief rabbi of blessed memory.

Thence one proceeds by sea to the city of Salerno, where the Christians have a school of medicine.  About 600 Jews dwell there.

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Among the scholars are R. Judah, son of R. Isaac, the son of Melchizedek, the great Rabbi[31], who came from the city of Siponto; also R. Solomon (the Cohen), R. Elijah the Greek, R. Abraham Narboni, and R. Hamon.  It is a city with walls upon the land side, the other side bordering on the sea and there is a very strong castle on the summit of the hill.  Thence it is half a day’s journey to Amalfi, where there are about twenty Jews, amongst them R. Hananel, the physician, R. Elisha, and Abu-al-gir, the prince.  The inhabitants of the place are merchants engaged in trade, who do not sow or reap, because they dwell upon high hills and lofty crags, but buy everything for money.  Nevertheless, they have an abundance of fruit, for it is a land of vineyards and olives, of gardens and plantations, and no one can go to war with them.

Thence it is a day’s journey to Benevento, which is a city situated between the sea-coast and a mountain, and possessing a community of about 200 Jews.  At their head are R. Kalonymus, R. Zarach, and R. Abraham.  From there it is two days’ journey to Melfi in the country of Apulia, which is the land of Pul[32], where about 200 Jews reside, at their head being R. Achimaaz, R. Nathan, and R. Isaac.

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From Melfi it is about a day’s journey to Ascoli, where there are about forty Jews, at their head being R. Consoli, R. Zemach, his son-in-law, and R. Joseph.  From there it takes two days to Trani on the sea, where all the pilgrims gather to go to Jerusalem; for the port is a convenient one.  A community of about 200 Israelites is there, at their head being R. Elijah, R. Nathan, the expounder, and R. Jacob.  It is a great and beautiful city.

From there it is a day’s journey to Colo di Bari, which is the great city which King William of Sicily destroyed[33].  Neither Jews nor Gentiles live there at the present day in consequence of its destruction.  Thence it is a day and a half to Taranto, which is under the government of Calabria, the inhabitants of which are Greek[34].  It is a large city, and contains about 300 Jews, some of them men of learning, and at their head are R. Meir, R. Nathan, and R. Israel.

From Taranto it is a day’s journey to Brindisi, which is on the sea coast.