Ottavio Serena (18 August 1837 – 7 January 1914) was an Italian politician, judge, prefect and historian.

His contribution and the testimonies he collected allowed to shed light on some historical events (such as the killing of Giovanni Firrao (1799) and on legendary toponyms (Petilia and Altilia).

[2] Ottavio Serena graduated in law as well as in literature and philosophy; at the beginning of his career he took care of the reorganization of the education of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies at the request of Saverio Baldacchini.

[4] After the Unification of Italy (1861), he was relocated to Turin, where he worked as secretary of Italian minister Francesco De Sanctis.

After a long life devoted both to politics and the history of his hometown Altamura, Serena died on 7 January 1914 after three years of suffering caused by a disease.