“A head so light but with a straight profile, squared forehead, and nostrils flared.
The neck so long and muscular, and at the back so well-proportioned.
The shoulder is deep. The loin is short, and the croup is muscular.
Its legs are well-formed“.
That could easily be a description of tactics or a team starting line up but its actually about a horse – the Salernitano.
The Salernitano Horse is a rare breed of horse that originates from the city of Salerno in southern Italy close to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
It is known for its athleticism and beauty as well as an ability to jump and withstand hot temperatures.
The Salerno horse started as a military horse but then became known for its sporting pedigree. Like the football club Salernitana 1919 it is workmanlike and sporting; driven on with passion, courage and a will to succeed despite adversity.
Twice fighting back from 1919 bankruptcy (they were re-established in 2005 and in 2011) this is a club once again back in Serie A
On the shirt of US Salernitana there is also a horse like symbol, but not that of a Salerno horse. This symbol is seen as a synthesis between the historical iconography of the team, the region and the city which sits near the sea.
That symbol on the Granata shirts of Salernitana is that of the hippocampus or the sea horse. Originally of Greek origin and common in Roman times the hippocampus has the upper body of a horse but the lower body of a fish. The image was considered to be a decorative symbol in Roman times used on mosaics and popular in bath-houses.
Unione Sportiva Salernitana were born on 19th June 1919 at number 67 Corso Umberto I (today via Mercanti) in Salerno. The club has been reconstituted three times in the course of its history, most recently in 2011 when it restarted again from Serie D and eventually returned to Serie A in 2021 after a break of 23 seasons.
The symbol on the shirt of Salernitana was originally designed by a man called Gabriele D’Alma in 1948.
The club’s centenary logo was completed using modern day visuals which recall the original blue colours and the vertical lines of the 1919 home shirt.
If the logo of the club points to the Greco-Roman traditions of the region the Stadio Arechi – the home stadium of the club – bears the name of a Lombard Prince who lived in the eighth century.
Salerno was once part of the Duchy of Benevento, which was the southernmost part of the Kingdom of the Lombards. Arechi was the Duke of Benevento who defended the area against Byzantine interests and Charlemagne .
Today, Arechi Castle is a castle located on top of a mountain at the foot of which lies the city of Salerno.
The stadium facade resembles that of a medieval fortification but the stadium is mostly characterised by four concrete stands that consist of two levels. The upper level is totally uncovered while the lower level one is partially covered by the level above.
The most fervent fans of Salernitana stand on the Curva Sud. Like the horse for which the city is known the locals thrive in the face of a heated battle.
Driving the team on in the face of more popular opposition; overcoming adversity to still stand tall.
Club Name: Unione Sportiva Salernitana 1919
Nickname: I Granata (Garnets)
Address: Stadio Arechi Via Salvador Allende Salerno, Italy 84132 Italy
Opened: September 9, 1990
Images from Salernitana v Inter Milan played on 8th April 2023 here.