Instead they viewed themselves as superior to simple thieves because they were waging guerrilla warfare against Northern Italian "foreigners", who had overthrown their King and conquered their homeland.

Therefore, not only was Michelina Di Cesare an effective member of the gang, but from the weapons she carried it appears that she was one of its recognized leaders.

Actions would be carried out by small groups and once the attack was over, the brigands would quietly disperse and reunite at pre-established points.

[2] As a final outrage, the bodies of the brigands, including Michelina, were stripped bare and left on display in the central square of Mignano as a warning to the local population.

[1][2] Michelina Di Cesare is one of the main characters of the Netflix series Brigands: The Quest for Gold (2024), played by the actress Matilda Lutz.