Carnivale D’Ivrea – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Rl28rFQXw

Every year in January at the Ivrea carnival there is the Battle of the Oranges. Thousands of townspeople organize groups and throw oranges at each other.  It is the largest food fight in Italy.

The legend, that dates back to medieval times in 1194, says Ivrea was ruled by an evil Duke  (identified by historians with Guido III). This tyrant attempted to rape a young commoner (often specified as a miller’s daughter “Mugnaia” – Violetta) on the evening of her wedding, supposedly exercising his right to spend a night with each newly wed woman, and forced her into his castle. The plan backfired when the young woman instead decapitated him, and then the people stormed and burned the palace.

Each year, a young girl is chosen to play the part of Violetta, the defiant young woman.   

Every year the citizens remember their liberation with the Battle of the Oranges, where teams of aranceri (orange handlers) on foot throw oranges (representing old weapons and stones) against aranceri riding in carts (representing the tyrant’s ranks).  It involves some thousands of townspeople, divided into nine combat teams, who throw oranges at each other – with considerable violence.

Originally beans were thrown, then apples. Today oranges, imported from Sicily to Piemonte Italy, represent the stones thrown at the castle. —Originally beans were thrown, then apples. Later, in the 19th century, oranges came to represent the stones thrown at the king’s castle in order to demolish it. The origin of the tradition of throwing oranges is not well understood, particularly as oranges do not grow in the foothills of the Italian Alps and must be imported from Sicily. In 1994, an estimated 265,000 kilograms (584,000 lb) of oranges were brought to the city, mainly coming from the leftovers of the winter crop in southern Italy.

The historical foot “aranceri” teams that participate in the defense of Ivrea against the Tyrant’s carted henchmen are 9:

 They have their particular colors and “mascots”

Aranceri Asso di Picche (Ace of Spades): red and blue jersey with black neck scarf. Their symbol is a single spade and their home ground is the main town square which they share with the second oldest throwing team. Created in 1947.

Aranceri della Morte (Death’s Aranceri): black jersey, red pants. Their symbol is a white skull. Created in 1954.

Aranceri Tuchini del Borghetto (Revolutionaries of the Borough): green jersey, red pants and a black crow in a white field on the back. Created in 1964.

Aranceri degli Scacchi (The Chess): chequered black and white jersey with an orange tower as their symbol. Created in 1964.

Aranceri Pantera Nera (Black Panther): black jersey with a black panther on a yellow field on the back. Created in 1965.

Aranceri Scorpioni d’Arduino (Arduino’s Scorpions): yellow jersey, green pants and a black scorpion as their symbol. Created in 1966.

Aranceri Diavoli (The Devils): red and yellow jersey with a red devil. Created in 1973.

Aranceri Mercenari (The Mercenaries): maroon jersey, yellow pants. Their symbol is a yellow star with maroon swords. Created in 1974.

Aranceri Credendari: blue jersey and yellow pants, the Palazzo della Credenza (Palace of Credence) and the town arms as their symbol. Created in 1985.