Prince Louis, Count of Aquila

At the table

Street foods costing one soldo

For a single soldo, the poor in Naples could purchase various street foods, such as slices of pizza, portions of fried fish known as fragaglia, or nine boiled chestnuts to eat with bread.

What people wore

Calabrian men's festival clothing

During festivals in Calabria, men commonly wore black velvet jackets and breeches, paired with long white cotton caps that hung over their shoulders.

Getting around

Travel by mule and lettiga in Sicily

In Sicily, travel was often done by mule or in a lettiga, a carriage-like box without wheels carried by two mules that moved at about three miles per hour. This unconventional vehicle was notoriously noisy due to bells and prone to swaying on uneven ground.

What it cost

Daily wages for laborers and craftsmen

In the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies around 1825–1849, a common laborer earned 15–20 grana per day, while specialized craftsmen could earn 80 grana. Workers often received an additional daily allowance of 10–15 grana for food if it was not provided on the job.

Music

Music during religious festival processions

Religious processions often featured musicians, including porters who danced while carrying heavy barrels of wine on their shoulders to the sound of a distant orchestra.

Daily life

Limited water and sanitation infrastructure

Public infrastructure for water was inadequate, leading households to rely on cisterns or local wells, with communities strictly distinguishing between water used for drinking and water used for animals or washing. In towns without sewer systems, private homes generally had no toilets.