San Cataldo is a seaside resort of the Adriatic sea located in the province of Lecce, about 10 km from Lecce, and is a hamlet divided between the towns of Lecce and Vernole with 1,000 inhabitants. In Roman times it was home to a major port, named after the emperor Hadrian, who had ordered its reconstruction (source: Pausanias). Octavian landed here after learning the news of the death of Caesar. Fallen into disuse, Salapia (Latin name of San Cataldo) became a swamp, whose reclamation took place only during the Fascist era by fighters of the National Opera. Today, the ancient Roman port has been completely abandoned and the sea is slowly destroying it.