The region has an impressive history. For a long time Apulia was occupied by the Greeks, who were later succeeded by the Romans. When the Roman Empire was divided into the West Roman and the East Roman Empire respectively, Apulia came under the East Roman domain, also known as the Byzantine Empire.
However, the Byzantine period was marred by a certain amount of turbulence partly because of the constant Lombard invasions. These were later superseded by the Norman princes including the famous Robert Guiscard.
The Normans overturned the Byzantine rule and appropriated not only Apulia but most of southern Italy including Sicily.
After the Normans the German King and holy Roman Emperor Frederick II took possession of Apulia. Frederick has left several monuments in Apulia where he liked to go hunting.
Later Apulia was ruled by the Spanish and later still, it came under French rule until finally it became part of a united Italy.
