Juicy Wars: Ivrea deluged in zest as 'Battle of Oranges' goes wild

Thousands of people pelted each other with oranges in the north Italian city of Ivrea on Sunday, as part of the tradition known as the 'Battle of the Oranges'.



Teams of 'aranceri' or orange handlers on foot threw oranges at the aranceri riding in carts. The origins of the battle are not known for sure, though one theory purports it is a re-enactment of the civil war between Napoleonic troops and the people of Ivrea, with those on foot representing the townspeople, and those in carts, the troops.



The mock rebellion takes place every year. Some 500 tons of oranges are shipped from Sicily to the town in northwestern Italy in order to supply the "fighters" with the "weapons."



The food-fight, Italy's largest, is part of the annual Carnival of Ivrea.