Prospectus Sacri Archicoenobii Casinatis

Erasmo Gattola (Gaeta, August 4, 1662 - Montecassino, May 1, 1734) was an Italian Christian monk, archivist and historian. Born to Girolamo and Giovanna d'Albito, both from noble and wealthy families, Erasmo, like most of his siblings, was initiated by his parents into ecclesiastical life. In November 1675 he entered the abbey of Montecassino and in 1676 he donned the habit of St. Benedict. He immediately devoted himself toward erudite research. For his activities the superiors of the convent in 1684 appointed him subdeacon. In November 1685 he met the great reformer of ecclesiastical-religious historiography Jean Mabillon, of the Congregation of St. Maur at Saint-Germain-des-Prés Abbey. Mavillon, at the end of a study trip to Italy, reached Monte Cassino to conduct studies at the monastery's archives, and young Erasmus had the honor of assisting him. Due to their common scholarly interests, a relationship of collaboration and friendship was born between Mabillon and Gattola that would grow over time. Gattola became one of the most valuable contributors to the publications, of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, sending countless documents extracted from the Cassinese codices, those of Cava de' Tirreni and other archives of the Kingdom of Naples.