Some scholars think that this village could be named after the roman knight Quinzio Flaminio who won The civic coat of arms of Squinzano is characterized by an eagle holding with its talons a golden-framed-shield. On the shield there is a lion in a plain and looks towards a forest. We do not have many historic evidences about the origins of this village. Many scholars think that after the Wars of Taranto, the Roman consul Tito Quinzio Flaminio built his house in 190 B.C. in the same land where nowadays is Squinzano. His house was called Villa Quintiana, it grew and probably became the Casale Quintianum, later called Quinzano and then Squinzano. At about the middle of 1100, the Normans destroyed the hamlets of Bagnara, Afra, Terenzano, Cisterni and Valesio. Those who survived moved towards Casale Quintianum and its population grew. From the end of the 11th century until 1390 the village belonged to the County of Lecce and later to the Principality of Taranto. Raimondello Orsini del Balzo gave the village to his son Giovanni Antonio who ruled it until 1463 when it was purchased by Ferdinand I of Aragon. In 1480 Squinzano and the whole Salento had to face the violence of the Saracens and the village underwent a slow reconstruction. In 1560 the village became state property thank to Felipe II, King of Spain, and, at that time, this meant freedom from any lord. Freedom lasted only 63 years because, in 1623, the territory was purchased by the Spaniard Giovanni Enriquez. His heir, Gabriele Agostino was appointed Prince of Squinzano and , when the Enriquez died out they were replaced by the Filomarinos from Cutrofiano who ruled until 1806 when the feudal system was abolished. Among the famous people from Squinzano we can remember: Mauro Paticchio was born in 1718 and became a priest in 1746. He took his degree in Theology and was appointed as deputy master of the Seminary of Brindisi. He wrote many books such as ‘The Life of Maria Manca’, another citizen of Squinzano, she was famous because she worked some miracles. Teodoro Cleopazzo was born at the beginning of the 19th century and became a priest. In 1818 he took part to the Carbonari movement and was brought to trial twice. He wrote ‘The Mysteries of Squinzano’ and ‘The Biography of Giovanni Buonerba’. Giosuè Mazzotta was a very cultured priest and taught Philosophy and Theology in the Seminary of Lecce. Monsignor Nicola Riezzo was born in 1904, became a priest in 1927 and took his degree in Theology in Rome. He was appointed Bishop of Castellaneta in 1958 and Archbishop of Otranto in 1981. Giovanni Campa was born in 1883 and studied in the Seminary of Lecce together with the future Pope John XXIII. He took a degree in Law in Rome and, in 1924, was appointed First Secretary to the Dominican Embassy. He died in Rome in 1978. Simon Papa lived in the 16th century and became a painter famous in the whole nation. Francesco Morelli was born in 1878 and was an appreciated poet. He wrote ‘Dialect Songs’ and ‘Orange blossoms’.