Amid the Paestum temples, the roses bloom twice

Sergio Gradogna — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 15:13:41 +0000

The flood plain of the river Sele lures thousands of tourists every year with its fragrant artichokes and mozzarella cheese and the timeless limestone temples in the majestic ruins of Paestum. The temples were a key feature of grand tours from the mid 18^th century on, despite the discomfort of having to cross the insalubrious marshes whose buffalo population exceeded that of the local human inhabitants. Although the Bourbons built a road through the very heart of the ancient city, Paestum remains one of the most important and interesting archaeological sites of the ancient Greek colonies in Campania, not only for its temples which have miraculously survived the ravages of man and time but also because of the air of myth that still envelops the area. [charme-gallery]For instance, the shrine to Hera Argiva at the mouth of the river Sele was reputedly founded by the Argonauts on their return with the Golden Fleece and her veneration by local inhabitants passed seamlessly into the worship of the Madonna del Granato when Christianity took hold. Further south, Punta Licosa is the headland where the body of the Leucosia the Siren was washed ashore when she committed suicide with her sisters after failing to enchant Odysseus. Founded as a fortified coastal outpost in the late 7th century BC, it later became a colony proper (Poseidonia) and was surrounded by an inner and outer curtain of fortifications with four gates. However, its three huge Doric temples are the most important evidence of the Greek colony: the majestic temple dedicated to Hera alongside the Temple of Poseidon, whose double order of columns are remarkably well preserved, and the Temple of Athena with its delightfully embellished coffered marble cornice.[charme-gallery]A hypogeum containing arms and elegant bronze vases of honey, perhaps an offering to the colony’s founder, was later discovered in the town centre. Conquered by the Lucani in the 5^th century BC it became a Roman colony called Paestum in 273 BC and the town’s ‘Romanisation’ can be clearly seen with the introduction of the Forum, tabernae (shops), the Macellum (market), the Capitol and the amphitheatre, which was curiously built right in the town centre. Visitors to Paestum should also not miss the refurbished Archaeological Museum on the site with its exhibits spanning the ages from its foundation to the imperial age when it was named in the verses of Virgil as the town where the roses bloom twice.

L'articolo Amid the Paestum temples, the roses bloom twice proviene da Charme.

The siren seduced fascinated Naples

Sergio Gradogna — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:50:52 +0000

When the Siren Parthenope, spurned by the Greek hero Odysseus, beached herself on the island of Megaris, little did she know that almost 1000 years later it would be the site of one of the Roman Empire’s most lavish houses, the villa of Lucius Licinius Lucullus, or that it would provide the foundations for the magnificent Castel dell’Ovo, Naples’s landmark fortress. And manor of Virgil, magician, poet and healer. Historic protector of the city during the years of the Middle Ages.

The links between the ex capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the deeds and legends of the ancient world are stronger than might be expected, starting with the city’s name: Neapolis was the “new city” of the Greek colonies that were appearing throughout Magna Graecia along the Tyrrhenian shore, and much archaeological evidence of this settlement has been brought to light. Naplesis one ofItaly’s oldest cities, dating as far back as the 9th century BC when the first colonists transferred here from nearby Cuma. [charme-gallery]Up to settle in one of the most beautiful and enchanting of all ofNaples: the hill of Posillipo. Its name derives from the greek Pausilypon which literally means “a respite from danger” or “that could stop the pain”, a name linked to the breathtaking view that you also enjoyed 2,500 years ago by this extraordinary arm of land stretching out into the sea. The city was part of Magna Graecia up until the Samnite Wars, when it fell under Roman control, although it preserved its Hellenistic nature and Greek was the city’s official language until the 2nd century AD. Its road layout was also typically Greek, with long straight streets intersecting at right angles, which the Romans left virtually untouched and have survived to the present day. The Greek ramparts have likewise survived and can be seen in Piazza Bellini, Piazza Cavour and elsewhere in the historic city centre – some incorporated into modern buildings – and it is said that even the mightyHannibalwas unable to breach the city defences. [charme-gallery]However, Greco-Roman Naples is not just about bricks and mortar. The city’s famous Duomo conserves the early Christian basilica of Santa Restituta, built by command of the Emperor Constantine on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Apollo, whose Corinthian columns are still visible in the Cathedral Chapel. Beneath the cathedral, archaeologists have found traces of a road with grooves left by cart wheels, the remains of some opus reticulatum buildings and lavish mosaic floors. Other ‘survivors’ include the Statue of the Nile in nearby Piazzetta Nilo, heart of the Egyptian quarter at the times of the Empire, while Piazza San Gaetano was the site of the Greek Agora, Odeon and the Temple of the Dioscuri, some features of which are still visible in the church of San Paolo Maggiore. The rest was buried by silt and ash from the eruption of Vesuvius. This stratification phenomenon, caused by the volcano’s successive eruptions and the frequent flooding to whichNapleswas subject, buried much of the ancient city and its waterways.[charme-gallery] Apart from the remains of a vast baths complex in San Giorgio ai Mannesi, an ancient theatre in Anticaglia, the Roman aqueduct in Ponti Rossi and the remains of friezes from pagan temples in the base of the bell tower in Piazzetta della Pietrasanta, most of the city was engulfed in mud or covered by ash and volcanic lapilli.

However, it is still there. Tourists can take an adventurous tour down wells and along narrow tunnels into huge underground caverns beneath the thoroughfares of the modern metropolis for a breathtaking visit to the ancient streets and early Christian catacombs. One of the entrances to the underground city is to be found near thechurchofSan Paolo Maggiore, but the sight that should not be missed is the remains of the Roman market place and street beneath the foundations of San Lorenzo Maggiore.

L'articolo The siren seduced fascinated Naples proviene da Charme.

Ulisse Archivi - Charme

Amid the Paestum temples, the roses bloom twice

The siren seduced fascinated Naples