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72-731: The precise limits were the river Silarus in the north-west, which separated it from Campania, and the Gravina (river) which flows into the Gulf of Taranto in the east. The lower tract of the river Laus , which flows from a ridge of the Apennine Mountains to the Tyrrhenian Sea in an east-west direction, marked part of the border with Bruttium. Almost the whole area is occupied by the Apennine Mountains , which here are an irregular group of lofty masses. The main ridge approaches

144-523: A democratic constitution save in time of war, when a dictator was chosen from among the regular magistrates. A few Oscan inscriptions survive, mostly in Greek characters from the 4th or 3rd century BC, and some coins with Oscan legends of the 3rd century. The Lucanians gradually conquered the whole country (with the exception of the Greek towns on the coast) from the borders of Samnium and Campania to

216-739: A much more gradual slope to the coastal plain of the Gulf of Taranto . Thus the rivers which flow to the Tyrrhenian Sea are of little importance compared with those that descend towards the Gulf of Tarentum. Of these the most important are the Bradanus ( Bradano ), the Casuentus ( Basento ), the Aciris ( Agri ), and the Siris ( Sinni ). The Crathis , which forms at its mouth the southern limit of

288-637: A straight direction however the side streets were purposely built narrow and winding to impede the passage of an invading army. Incorporating the Aragon Castle , Doric Columns , City Hall, Clock Tower and Piazza Fontana, it is situated and entirely enclosed on the artificial island between the Big and Little Seas and is reached from the New City by crossing the Ponte Girevole ( swing bridge ) from

360-664: Is also called "the city of the two seas". The natural harbor at Taranto made it a logical home port for the Italian naval fleet before and during the First World War . During World War II, Taranto became famous for a November 1940 British air attack on the Regia Marina naval base stationed here, which today is called the Battle of Taranto . The city's name is the origin of the common name " tarantula ", originating from

432-581: Is characterised by three natural peninsulas and a man-made island, formed by digging a ditch during the construction of Aragon Castle . The city is known as the "city of two seas" because it is washed by the Big Sea in the bay between Punta Rondinella to the northwest and Capo San Dante to the south, and by the vast reservoir of the Little Sea. The Big Sea is frequently known as the Big Sea bay as that

504-485: Is hot and humid, with temperatures averaging 29 °C (84 °F). On 28 November 2012 a large F3 tornado hit the port of Taranto and damaged the Taranto Steel Mill ; about 20 workers were injured, and another man was reported missing. It is classified as Geographical zone C and having a degree-day of 30. Taranto was founded in 706 BC by Dorian Greek immigrants hailing from Sparta . Its origin

576-513: Is light. The study also explains why it is not Greek in origin. As noted in the History section on this page, the Greeks referred to this region of Italy as Oenotria. The district of Lucania was so called from the people bearing the name Lucani (Lucanians) by whom it was conquered about the middle of the 5th century BC. Before that period it was included under the general name of Oenotria , which

648-941: Is one of the most significant late works by the architect. In 2018 it is in poor condition and defaced by graffiti. In the modern districts, but above all in the central Borgo Umbertino , there are also the Fountain of the Rosa dei Venti , Monumento al Marinaio , the War Memorial and the Navy Yard , another symbol of the city, some archeological sites such as the Cripta del Redentore , churches like Maria Santissima del Monte Carmelo , San Pasquale and San Francesco di Paola and 18th- and 19th-century palaces such as Palazzo Magnini , Palazzo delle Poste, Palazzo del Governo , Palazzo degli Uffici and Palazzo Savino D'Amelio . On

720-468: Is peculiar: the founders were Partheniae ("sons of virgins"), sons of unmarried Spartan women and Perioeci (free men, but not citizens of Sparta); these out-of-wedlock unions were permitted extraordinarily by the Spartans to increase the prospective number of soldiers (only the citizens of Sparta could become soldiers) during the bloody Messenian Wars , but later they were retroactively nullified, and

792-612: Is the location of the battle of the Silarus in which Hannibal won a major victory over the Romans, and it is also the place of the battle in which Spartacus and his rebellion was defeated by Marcus Licinius Crassus and his legions. The municipalities crossed by the river, from the mouth to the origin, are Eboli , Capaccio , Albanella , Serre , Campagna , Contursi Terme , Oliveto Citra , Colliano , Senerchia , Valva , Calabritto and Caposele . Despite its name, demonym of

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864-757: Is where ships harbour. It is separated from the Little Sea by a cape which closes the gulf, leading to the artificial island. This island formed the heart of the original city and it is connected to the mainland by the Ponte di Porta Napoli and the Ponte Girevole . The Big Sea is separated from the Ionian Sea by the Capo San Vito, the Isole Cheradi of St Peter and St Paul, and the three islands of San Nicolicchio, which are completely incorporated by

936-687: The Angevins would take control of Lucania in the mid-13th century before being part of the Kingdom of Aragon in the 14th century after the War of the Sicilian Vespers . The towns on the east coast were Metapontum , a few miles south of the Bradanus; Heraclea , at the mouth of the Aciris; and Sins, on the river of the same name. Close to its southern frontier stood Sybaris , which was destroyed in 510 BC, but subsequently replaced by Thurii . On

1008-469: The Appian Way , called it Tarentum . The islets of S. Pietro and S. Paolo (St. Peter and St. Paul), collectively known as Cheradi Islands , protect the bay, called Mar Grande ( Big Sea ), where the commercial port is located. Taranto is known for the large population of dolphins and other cetaceans living near these islands. Another bay, called Mar Piccolo ( Little Sea ), is formed by

1080-656: The ILVA steelworks . The latter form a little archipelago which closes off the arc creating the natural Big Sea bay. The Little Sea is considered to be a lagoon so it presents problems of water exchange. It is virtually divided into two by the Ponte Punta Penna Pizzone , which joins the Punta Penna to the Punta Pizzone. The first of these forms a rough triangle, whose corners are the opening to

1152-638: The Roman empire , Lucania was always united with the district of the Bruttii, a practice continued by Theodoric . The two together constituted the third region of Augustus . After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE, Lucania fell to Odoacer and became part of the Kingdom of Italy before being turned into the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths in 493 CE. Ostrogothic rule in the region

1224-622: The Samnites against Rome (90–88 BC) gave the finishing stroke. In the time of Strabo the Greek cities on the coast had fallen into insignificance, and owing to the decrease of population and cultivation malaria began to obtain the upper hand. The few towns of the interior were of no importance. A large part of the province was given up to pasture, and the mountains were covered with forests, which abounded in wild boars, bears and wolves. There were some fifteen independent communities, but none of great importance. For administrative purposes under

1296-717: The Tarantella . In geology , Taranto gives its name to the Tarantian Age of the Pleistocene Epoch. Taranto faces the Ionian Sea . It is 14.5 m (48 ft) above sea level . It was built on a plain running north/north-west–southeast, and surrounded by the Murgia plateau from the north-west to the east. Its territory extends for 209.64 km (80.94 sq mi) and is mostly underwater. It

1368-626: The Via Herculia  [ it ] , coming southwards from the Via Appia and passing through Potentia and Grumentum, joined the Via Popilia near the southwestern edge of the district: while another nameless road followed the east coast and other roads of less importance ran west from Potentia to the Via Popilia , northeast to the Via Appia and east from Grumentum to the coast at Heraclea. The modern name Basilicata originates from

1440-496: The coral reef . Taranto has a number of sites of historic value. Situated at the angle of the canal, Big Sea and Piazza Castello , the Aragon Castle was built between 1486 and 1492 by orders of King Ferdinand II of Aragon to protect the city from the Turks ' frequent raids. The castle, which was designed by Italian painter and architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini , replaced a pre-existing 9th-century Byzantine fortress, which

1512-599: The weather station situated near the Grottaglie Military Airport , is a hot-summer Mediterranean climate , typical of the Mediterranean with frequent continental features. The spring is usually mild and rainy, but it is not uncommon to have sudden cold spells from the north and east, which often cause snowfall. Average annual precipitation is fairly low (even for southern Italy), measuring just 425 mm (16.7 in) per year. The summer

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1584-567: The 10th century AD, when the area was under Byzantine control. During the early 19th century, during the Carbonari revolution of 1820–21, the region was renamed and divided into Eastern and Western Lucania ( Lucania Orientale and Lucania Occidentale ). From the latter half of the 19th century some residents campaigned to reinstate that name. In 1932 the Fascist regime changed the name to Lucania, as part of its appropriation of symbols from

1656-671: The 12th century when a gradual process of Latinization would occur. By the 14th century, there were few Greek inhabitants as the majority had been assimilated. In the mid-11th century, Lucania was conquered by the Normans first becoming the County of Apulia and Calabria then becoming part of the Kingdom of Sicily in 1130. In 1194, Lucania would become part of the Holy Roman Empire under the Hohenstaufen dynasty . After that

1728-400: The 5th and 4th centuries BC. The denomination was a Nomos, a die-cast silver coin whose weight, size and purity were controlled by the state. The highly artistic coins presented the symbol of the city, Taras being saved by a dolphin, with the reverse side showing the likeness of a hippocamp , a horse-fish amalgam which is depicted in mythology as the beast that drew Poseidon's chariot. Taras

1800-566: The 6th century BC - such as the remains of a temple dedicated to Poseidon, with its two surviving Doric columns still visible on Piazza Castello in the Città Vecchia . The Promenade ( lungomare ), named after former Italian king Victor Emmanuel III , overlooks the Mar Grande , the natural harbour and commercial port. The Concattedrale Gran Madre di Dio , designed by Gio Ponti , was built in 1967–1971 in reinforced concrete and

1872-682: The ILVA steel plant, part of Gruppo Riva . 7% of Taranto's pollution is produced by the public; 93% is produced by factories. In 2005, the European Pollutant Emission Register estimated dioxin emissions from the Taranto ILVA plant were responsible for 83% of Italy's total reported emissions. Every year the city is exposed to 2.7 t (2.7 long tons; 3.0 short tons) of carbon monoxide and 57.7 t (56.8 long tons; 63.6 short tons) of carbon dioxide . In 2014,

1944-670: The Italian National Institute of Emissions and their Sources, stated that Taranto stands third in the world behind China's Linfen , and Copşa Mică in Romania, the most polluted cities in the world due to factories' emissions. In particular, the city produces ninety-two percent of Italy's dioxin . This is 8.8 percent of the dioxin in Europe. Between 1995 and 2004, leukaemias , myelomas and lymphomas increased by 30 to 40 percent. Dioxin accumulates over

2016-585: The Roman Empire. After the end of the war and Italy's defeat, the new government restored the name of Basilicata to the province in 1947. In the late 20th century, Lucania was still in vernacular use as a synonym to Basilicata. Silarus (Sele) The Sele is a river in southwestern Italy . Originating from the Monti Picentini in Caposele , it flows through the region of Campania , in

2088-556: The San Agostino church, located near Pendio La Riccia, the buried remains of an ancient Greek temple were discovered. Beginning in 1934 Benito Mussolini embarked on a project of rejuvenation that involved the demolition of the working class Turipenne pittaggio along the Via Garibaldi and ''Discesa Vasto'' which contained the homes of local fishermen as well as the old Jewish quarter. The demolitions, which also razed

2160-845: The artisans and fishermen dwelled in Ponte and Turipenne. An Armenian community was present in the 10th and 11th centuries having arrived in Taranto as troops in the Byzantine Army. The San't Andrea degli Armeni church in Piazza Monteoliveto, located in the Baglio quarter, stands as testimony to the neighbourhood where the Armenians made their homes. In 1746 the entire population of Taranto resided in Old City. This resulted in

2232-610: The battle fleet of the Regia Marina at anchor in the harbour of Taranto, using aerial torpedoes despite the shallowness of the water. The Taranto Prize, defined as the "Biennial of the South", was a biennial cultural event that took place between 1947 and 1951. It was born on the initiative of thirty-year-old veterans who, returning from the Second World War , gathered in the «Cultural Club (Circolo della cultura)» and

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2304-511: The city was among the largest in the world, with a population estimated up to 300,000 people. The seven-year rule of Archytas marked the apex of its development and recognition of its hegemony over other Greek colonies of southern Italy. During the Norman period, it became the capital of the Principality of Taranto , which covered almost all of the heel of Apulia . Taranto is now

2376-440: The city. Another tradition indicates Taras as the founder of the city; the symbol of the Greek city (as well as of the modern city) depicts the legend of Taras being saved from a shipwreck by riding a dolphin that was sent to him by Poseidon. Taranto increased its power, becoming a commercial power and a sovereign city of Magna Graecia , . Its independence and power came to an end as the Romans expanded throughout Italy. Taranto won

2448-544: The clergy. These include Palazzo Calò, Palazzo Carducci-Artenisio (1650), Palazzo Galeota (1728), Palazzo Gallo (17th century), P PMalazzo Latagliata, Palazzo Lo Jucco (1793), Palazzo D'Aquino, Palazzo Delli Ponti, Palazzo Gennarini, Palazzo d'Ayala, Palazzo Visconti, Palazzo Galizia, Palazzo Ciura and Palazzo Pantaleo. The 17th century de Beaumont-Bonelli-Bellacicco palace houses the Spartan Museum of Taranto - Hypogeum Bellacicco which extends below street and sea level to

2520-522: The competition was the sea. The Municipality of Taranto was declared bankrupt effective 31 December 2005, having accrued liabilities of €357 million. This was one of the biggest financial crises which has ever hit a municipality. The bankruptcy declaration was made on 18 October 2006 by the receiver Tommaso Blonda. He was appointed following the resignation of the mayor, Rossana Di Bello, on account of her sixteen-month prison sentence for abuse of office and forgery of documents relating to investigations into

2592-645: The contract for the management of the city incinerator, awarded to Termomeccanica. Taranto railway station connects the city with Rome , Naples , Milan , Bologna , Bari , Reggio di Calabria and Brindisi . Taranto-Grottaglie Airport is located 16 km away from Taranto, but does not offer any regularly scheduled commercial services. The two closest airports that do offer regularly scheduled commercial services are in Brindisi and Bari , approximately 70 km and 90 km away, respectively. The Ponte Girevole ( swing bridge ), built in 1887, runs across

2664-463: The east and the Porta Napoli channel linking it to the Big Sea in the west. The second half forms an ellipse whose major axis measures almost 5 km (3 mi) from the south-west to the north-east. The Galeso river flows into the first half. The two water bodies have slightly different winds and tides and their underwater springs have different salinities. These affect the currents on

2736-474: The first of two wars against Rome for the control of Southern Italy: it was helped by Pyrrhus , king of Greek Epirus , who surprised Rome with the use of war elephants in battle, a thing never seen before by the Romans. Rome won the second war in 272 BC. This subsequently cut off Taranto from the centre of Mediterranean trade, by connecting the Via Appia directly to the port of Brundisium ( Brindisi ). Like many Greek city states, Taras issued its own coins in

2808-622: The hypogeum that is a crossroads with other hypogeum of Old City which together form the system of subterranean Taranto. Churches include the San Cataldo Cathedral (10th century) in Piazza Duomo, San Domenico Maggiore (1302), Sant'Andrea degli Armeni (16th century), Sant'Agostino (1402), San Michele (1763), Sant'Anna , the Madonna della Salute sanctuary (1752), and San Giuseppe (16th century). Close to

2880-584: The independent Duchy of Benevento and later, under Holy Roman Emperor Louis II , part of the Duchy was turned into the independent Principality of Salerno in 851. In the late 10th century the Byzantines began to re-enter the region of Lucania forming the Catapanate of Italy with Salerno being granted autonomy. By the early 11th century the Byzantine revival in Lucania came with both a process of Hellenization and significant Greek migrations from southern and central Calabria and Salento , into regions such as Cilento . Lucania would remain largely Greek till

2952-439: The main Italian naval base. Founded by Spartans in the 8th century BC during the period of Greek colonisation , Taranto was among the most important poleis in Magna Graecia , becoming a cultural, economic and military power that gave birth to philosophers, strategists, writers and athletes such as Archytas , Aristoxenus , Livius Andronicus , Heracleides , Iccus , Cleinias , Leonidas , Lysis and Sosibius . By 500 BC,

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3024-425: The mercy of the Romans. After several campaigns they were reduced to subjection (272 BC). Notwithstanding this they espoused the cause of Hannibal during the Second Punic War (216 BC), and their territory during several campaigns was ravaged by both armies. The country never recovered from these disasters, and under the Roman government fell into decay, to which the Social War , in which the Lucanians took part with

3096-407: The navigable ship canal that joins Mar Piccolo ( Little Sea ) with Mar Grande ( Big Sea ) and stretches along 89.9 m (295 ft). When the bridge is open, the two ends of the city are disconnected. In 1991 Taranto was declared a high environmental risk area by the Ministry of Environment . As a consequence of the pollutants discharged into the air by the factories in the area, most notably

3168-425: The necessity of building additional stories on the narrow houses. It is still inhabited with a number of people living in juxtaposition to the old palazzi. By 2013 the population of the Old City was just 1000 at a time when the wider city had more than 200,000 inhabitants. There are a number of 17th and 18th-century palazzi in Old City. For years, they served as the main residence of local aristocratic families and

3240-411: The newspaper 'Voce del Popolo'. The coordinator, Antonio Rizzo, was a physicist who graduated with Enrico Fermi. He intended to promote a new cultural impulse of a pacifist nature for the city. The event was structured into two sections: literature and painting. Several artists of international calibre, such as Pier Paolo Pasolini , Carlo Emilio Gadda , and Giorgio de Chirico , participated. The theme of

3312-432: The night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham , and Italian naval forces, under Admiral Inigo Campioni . The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, employing 21 Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS  Illustrious in the Mediterranean Sea . The attack struck

3384-506: The outskirts and in the countryside there are several traditional ancient country houses called masseria , like Masseria Capitignano . The Old City or Città Vecchia is where the Greeks built their acropolis. Today it retains the same street layout of 967, when the Byzantines under Nicephorus Phocas rebuilt what the Saracen troops led by the Slavic Sabir had razed to the ground in 927 AD. There are four main arteries (Corso Vittorio II, Via Duomo, Via di Mezzo and Via Garibaldi) which run in

3456-420: The peninsula of the old city and has flourishing fishing . At the end of the 19th century, a channel was excavated to allow naval ships to enter the Mar Piccolo harbour, and the ancient Greek city become an island connected to the mainland by bridges. The islets and the coast are strongly fortified and Mar Piccolo is a naval port with strategic importance. Because of the presence of these two bays, Taranto

3528-414: The province, belongs almost wholly to the territory of the Bruttii , but it receives a tributary, the Sybaris (Coscile), from the mountains of Lucania. The only considerable stream on the western side is the Silarus ( Sele ), which constitutes the northern boundary, and has two important tributaries in the Calor ( Calore Lucano or Calore Salernitano) and the Tanager ( Tanagro or Negro) which joins it from

3600-411: The provinces of Salerno and Avellino . Its mouth is in the Gulf of Salerno , on the Tyrrhenian Sea , at the borders between the municipalities of Eboli and Capaccio (not too far from Paestum ), in the beginning point of Cilentan Coast . The important Greek site of Foce del Sele , a sanctuary complex dedicated to the goddess Hera , is at the ancient mouth of the river, though little remains on

3672-407: The river, the municipality of Altavilla Silentina is not crossed by Sele. [REDACTED] Media related to Sele at Wikimedia Commons Taranto Taranto ( Italian pronunciation: [ˈtaːranto] ; Tarantino : Tarde ) is a coastal city in Apulia , Southern Italy . It is the capital of the province of Taranto , serving as an important commercial port as well as

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3744-426: The site; the relief friezes and other finds are now in the museum at Paestum. At this period the Sele represented the border of the Greek and Etruscan zones of influence along the coast. In terms of average water discharge of southern Italian rivers, it is second only to the Volturno . Its main tributaries are the Tanagro , the Calore Lucano and the Tenza . In ancient times it was known as Silarus . This river

3816-420: The sons were then obliged to leave Greece forever. Phalanthus, the Parthenian leader, went to Delphi to consult the oracle : the puzzling answer designated the harbour of Taranto as the new home of the exiles. The Partheniae arrived in Apulia, and founded the city, naming it Taras after the son of the Greek sea god, Poseidon , and of a local nymph , Satyrion. According to other sources, Heracles founded

3888-473: The south and the Ponte di Porta Napoli from the north. Almost rectangular in shape, it is divided into four pittaggi (quarters) that are delineated by the cross formed between Via di Mezzo and postilier Via Nuova. These are "Baglio" and "San Pietro" in the upper section which face the Big Sea; and "Turipenne" and "Ponte" in the lower part fronting the Little Sea. The nobility, clergy and military personnel made their homes in Baglio and San Pietro, whilst

3960-471: The south. Historians at University of Naples Eastern Studies concluded that the root of the name Lucania is derived from luc , the Osco-Sabellic peoples word for light, which has the same meaning in the Latin idiom. The people that moved from the Osco-Sabellic tribes to occupy the land east of the Sillaro River, which was an area associated with the morning star, Lucifer (Latin for bringer of light). Therefore, Lucania means eastern land or land from which there

4032-531: The southern extremity of Italy . Subsequently the inhabitants of the peninsula, now known as Calabria , broke into insurrection, and under the name of Bruttians established their independence, after which the Lucanians became confined within the limits already described. After this we find them engaged in hostilities with the Tarentines , and with Alexander , king of Epirus , who was called in by that people to their assistance, 334 BC. In 298 BC (Livy x. II seq.) they made alliance with Rome , and Roman influence

4104-440: The subject matter consists of naiskos scenes (scenes showing the statue of a deceased person in a naos, a miniature temple or shrine). Most often the naiskos scene occupies one side of the vase, while a mythological scene occupies the other. Images depicting many of the Greek myths are only known from South Italian vases, since Athenian ones seem to have had more limited repertoires of depiction. The Battle of Taranto took place on

4176-404: The surface and in the depths of the Big Sea and the two halves of the Little Sea. In the Big Sea and in the northern part of the Little Sea, there are some underwater springs called citri , which carry undrinkable freshwater together with salt water. This creates the ideal biological conditions for cultivating Mediterranean mussels , known locally as cozze . The climate of the city, recorded by

4248-429: The terms tarantella , tarantism and tarantula — although no spider species of the family Theraphosidae inhabit the area. In ancient times, residents of Taranto bitten by the large local Wolf Spider , Lycosa tarentula , would promptly do a long vigorous dance like a jig , in order to sweat the venom out of their pores — even though the wolf spider's venom is not fatal to humans. The frenetic dance became known as

4320-431: The third-largest continental city in southern Italy (south of Rome, roughly the southern half of the Italian peninsula), with well-developed steel and iron foundries, oil refineries, chemical works, naval shipyards and food-processing factories. Taranto will host the 2026 Mediterranean Games . Taranto's pre-history dates back to 706 BC when it was founded as a Greek colony, established by the Spartans . The ancient city

4392-459: The west coast stood Posidonia, known under the Roman government as Paestum ; below that came Elea ( Velia under the Romans), Pyxus , called by the Romans Buxentum, and Laüs , near the frontier of the province towards Bruttium . Of the towns of the interior the most considerable was Potentia, still called Potenza . To the north, near the frontier of Apulia, was Bantia ( Aceruntia belonged more properly to Apulia); while due south from Potentia

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4464-436: The western sea and continues from the lofty knot of mountains on the frontiers of Samnium , in a mostly southerly direction, to within a few miles of the Gulf of Policastro . From then on it is separated from the sea by only a narrow interval until it enters Bruttium . Just within the frontier of Lucania rises Monte Pollino , 7,325 ft (2,233 m), the highest peak in the southern Apennines . The mountains descend in

4536-581: The works, or individuals who have distinguished the works from others. Some of the most famous of the Apulian vase painters at Taras are now called: the Iliupersis Painter , the Lycurgus Painter , the Gioia del Colle Painter , the Darius Painter , the Underworld Painter , and the White Sakkos Painter , among others. The wares produced by these workshops were usually large elaborate vessels intended for mortuary use. The forms produced included volute kraters , loutrophoroi , paterai , oinochoai , lekythoi , fish plates , etc. The decoration of these vessels

4608-546: The years. Over 9 kilos of dioxin have been discharged into the city's air by its factories. Grazing is banned within 20 km (12 mi) of the ILVA plant. In 2013, the ILVA plant was placed under special administration when its owner, the Riva family, was accused of failing to prevent toxic emissions, which caused at least 400 premature deaths. Emissions of both carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide and dioxin have decreased. Animal species have returned that had left, including swallows , cranes , dolphins , seahorses and

4680-406: Was Grumentum , and still farther in that direction were Nerulum and Muranum. In the upland valley of the Tanagrus were Atina , Forum Popilii and Consilinum (near Sala Consilina ); Eburi ( Eboli ) and Volceii ( Buccino ), though to the north of the Silarus , were also included in Lucania. The Via Popilia traversed the district from north to south, entering it at the northwestern extremity;

4752-540: Was red figure (with figures reserved in red clay fabric, while the background was covered in a black gloss), with overpainting ( sovradipinto ) in white, pink, yellow, and maroon slips. Often the style of the drawings is florid and frilly, as was already the fashion in 4th-century Athens. Distinctive South Italian features also begin to appear. Many figures are shown seated on rocks. Floral motifs become very ornate, including spiraling vines and leaves, roses , lilies , poppies , sprays of laurel , acanthus leaves . Often

4824-442: Was also the centre of a thriving decorated Greek pottery industry during the 4th century BC. Most of the South Italian Greek vessels known as Basilican ware were made in different workshops in the city. Unfortunately, none of the names of the artists have survived, so modern scholars have been obliged to give the recognizable artistic hands and workshops nicknames based on the subject matter of their works, museums which possess

4896-424: Was applied by the Greeks to the southernmost portion of Italy. The mountainous interior was occupied by the tribes known as Oenotrians and Choni, while the coasts on both sides were occupied by powerful Greek colonies which doubtless exercised a protectorate over the interior (see Magna Graecia ). The Lucanians were a southern branch of the Samnite or Sabellic people, who spoke the Oscan language. They had

4968-438: Was deemed unfit for 15th-century warfare. In 1707 it ceased to be used as a military fortress and was converted to a prison until under Napoleon Bonaparte it reverted to its original military function. To date it is the property of the Italian Navy and is open to the public. Twenty-first-century excavations revealed the castle's earlier Byzantine foundations which can be viewed. There are several Greek temple ruins - some from

5040-421: Was extended by the colonies of Venusia (291 BC), Paestum (273), and above all Tarentum (272). Subsequently they were sometimes in alliance, but more frequently engaged in hostilities, during the Samnite wars . On the landing of Pyrrhus in Italy (281 BC) they were among the first to declare in his favor, and found themselves exposed to the resentment of Rome when the departure of Pyrrhus left his allies at

5112-402: Was short lived due to Justinian’s reconquest of Italy in the mid-Sixth century. The Byzantine conquest reintroduced Greeks and Greek culture to the region. In the early 7th, Byzantine rule was cut short as another Germanic people, the Lombards conquered Lucania from the Byzantines and became part of the Kingdom of the Lombards . In 774, after the Frankish invasion , Lucania became a part of

5184-485: Was situated on a peninsula ; the modern city has been built over the ancient Greek city of which only a few ruins remain, including part of the city wall, two temple columns dating to the 6th century BC, and tombs. The Greek colonists from Sparta called the city Taras ( Τάρᾱς , gen. Τάραντος Tárantos ) after the mythical hero Taras , while the Romans , who connected the city to Rome with an extension of

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