a walled town of Naples, in the province of Otranto, 10 miles N.W., of Tarento. The town is picturesquely situated on the slope of a hill, and the houses stand on the very brink of a rocky chasm through which a stream has worked its way and hollowed out the sides into many fantastic shapes. Massafra is supposed by some to be the ancient Messapia; but this is called in question by others. Pop. about 7000.