The region, currently is made up of the Capital Potenza and the provinces of Matera, which is known by the name of Lucania; in fact it was inhabited by the Lucani in the 7th century B.C.

During the Roman period it was part of the third roman region under the empire of Augustus (Lucania-Bruzio). After the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 A.D.), the region became object of dispute between the Greeks, who established themselves on the coast, and the two barbaric populations: the Goths, and the Longobards. Though the Normans were the ones, in the 12th century A.D., who named the region Basilicata (From the Greek term “King”) and founded the city of Melfi as its capital in 1130 A.D..

Basilicata became a part of theReign of Sicily, Naples, and the two Sicilies. It was even under the domination of the Swede, the Angiò family and of Spain.
Finally it became a part of the Reign of Sardinia, therefore of the Reign of Italy on the 21st of October 1860, after the intervention of Piedmont and of the Spedizione dei Mille led by Garibaldi.