Aliano is a town and comune in the province of Matera, which is located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southwest of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.
Aliano was the setting of Carlo Levi's book Christ Stopped at Eboli (Italian: Cristo si è fermato a Eboli), where the town is called Gagliano according to the local pronunciation. Published in 1945, it gives an account of his exile in 1935–1936 in Aliano.
The Agri is a river in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. In ancient times it was known as Aciris (Ancient Greek: Ἄκιρις, romanized: Akiris). The source of the river is in the Lucan Apennines north of Monte Volturino and west of Calvello in the province of Potenza. It is near the source of the Basento. The river flows south near Paterno before curving southeast. It flows near Tramutola, Viggiano, and Grumento Nova before entering a lake. After exiting the lake, the river flows eastward near Armento, Missanello, Aliano, and Sant'Arcangelo. A right tributary, the Racanello, enters the river in this area. The river forms the border between the province of Potenza and the province of Matera for part of this area of the river. It flows into a small lake before entering the province of Matera. The river flows for a short distance before entering Lago di Gannano. After exiting the lake, the river flows southeast near Tursi, Montalbano Jonico, and Scanzano Jonico before flowing into the Gulf of Taranto near Policoro.