The comune of Gioi has a history that dates back well over 1000 years. The first permanent inhabitants may have been monks who settled there around the 11th century. The village was fortified in the 15th century, and parts of the fortifications still exist. The population peaked at about 18,000 in the mid 16th century[citation needed] before being decimated by a plague in 1556. A second plague occurred in 1645, after which the prosperity of the village went into long-term decline.[3]
The Genetic Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano Project was established in 2000, and focuses on the populations of Campora, Gioi, and Cardile. Using village and church records, a pedigree of over 5000 individuals was created that spans 350 years.[5]
