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 Paestum
Paestum was founded 600 B.C. - some years after Agropoli - by
Greeks from Sybaris, which was at that time an important Greek city in
Calabria, Paestum was established about 9 kms to the south of the river Sele on
a plateau of travertine, which also delivered the building material for the town
walls and the temples. The outlines of this plateau correspond to the course of
the town walls. The Sele formed a natural border to the area situated in the
north, which was at that time controlled by the Etruscans.
The Greek settlers called the city Poseidonia in honor of the
Greek sea God Poseidon. In spite of this naming Poseidonia probably was not a
city with an important harbor. It was at that time separated from the sea by a
shallow fresh water lagoon and could be reached by small ships only. Agropoli,
which was situated only 6 kms to the south, was certainly a better choice for a
harbor. The important role of Poseidonia was due to its central place in a
plain, which was very fertile. Not Poseidon but Hera, the goddess of fertility,
became the predominant divinity of Poseidonia.
At the end of the 5th century B.C. Poseidonia passed over to
the Lucanians (who formed a local branch of the italic Samnites tribe in this
area). Under the Lucanians Poseidonia was called Paistom, In 273 B.C. the
Romans took possession of the city. They renamed it to Paestum and Latin became
the official language. A lot of new Roman buildings changed the townscape into
Roman. In particular the Greek agora was substituted with the Roman forum.
In the 4th century A.D. started the decline
and shrinkage of Paestum. Progressive deforestation has led to an increasing
spread of the marshes, mainly caused by the waters of the river Salso, which
passed the southern town walls. These were optimum conditions for the spreading
of malaria. The northern part of Paestum around the temple of Athena became the
center of the diminished town. This area was situated far from the Salso in an
elevated position.
In the 5th century the small
palaeochristian church (Basilica, near the museum) was built. The temple of
Athena was probably used as a Christian church as well, because the graves,
which were found inside the temple, could only be of Christian origin.
As a result of the numerous attacks of the Saracenes and because it had become a
malarious district the last inhabitants left Paestum in the 9th century. They
established a new settlement Capaccio (Caput Aquae) on Mount Calpazio above Capo
di Fiume. In the 12th century the church of the Madonna del Granato
was constructed here. Because of the participation in a conspiracy this
settlement ("Capaccio vecchio") was destroyed in the year 1246 by Frederic II.
Surrounded and buried by swamps caused by the river Sele the city remained
hidden and forgotten for about 900 years. Due to new road constructions in 1748
the well preserved temples were rediscovered and excavated.
The oldest and most important sanctuary of the entire
region was the Heraion
established about 570 B.C. It was not before the 20th century that its
fragmentary ruins were discovered 9 km north of Paestum in the
proximity of the Sele delta. There are some hints, which attribute its
earliest establishment to Jason and the Argonauts.
Only a few years later (about 550 B.C.) the oldest of the three temples
of Paestum was built, which was also dedicated to the Greek goddess of
fertility Hera (the sister and wife of Zeus). Due to an early mistake it
is today known as the so-called
Basilica.
The smallest of the three temples, the so-called
Ceres temple, was dedicated to the goddess Athene and was built about 500 B.C.
The
Poseidon temple,
(or Neptun temple) is from about 450 B.C. (about the same time the
Parthenon in Athens was built). This temple is probably the best
preserved doric temple in the world.
Neptun temple and Basilica are standing directly next to each other thus
offering a quite impressive
panorama.
The small
Ekklesiasterion (legislation, election of the judge) was preserved
from the Greek period of Paestum because the Romans left it under a
mound. The Romans established nearby a larger building
(comitium) for similar purposes and proceedings.
The small amphitheatre, which is only half excavated is like nearly all the other
buildings (respectively their foundation relics) of Roman origin (1st
century B.C.).
Further excavations
around the temples during the last decades uncovered the outlines of
the old city inside the town walls. The Roman
forum,
is situated on the southern part of the more expanded Greek agora.
With some buildings respectively foundations there
are still different interpretations for their original function. The
current interpretation becomes difficult because the utilization of the
buildings often mutated with the changes from Greek to Lucanian and
finally to Roman inhabitants. This may be illustrated by the following
examples: The roof, which can be seen in the following
photo, belongs to an underground sanctuary (sacellum, hypogaeum),
which is enclosed by an additional wall. From its form it can be either
a grave or a heroon (an empty grave), as it was customary at that time -
e.g. in honours of the founder of the city. In fact this building is
from the 6th century B.C.
Another complex, which is interpreted as a
gymnasium with swimming pool, some archaeologists assume that the
strange stone construction in the pool was a podium for the swimming
matches. Others assume that the original gynnasium was transformed after
the 3rd century B.C. to a sanctuary of the goddess Fortuna Virilis, at
which the stone construction served solemn fertility rites.
The
town wall with its 4
gates is 4750 m long. It was built by the Greeks and later fortified
by Lucanians and Romans. (As you see
there's a good possibility to take a railroad trip to Paestum).
Many Lucanian graves were found close by the city (the necropoles always
lay outside the walls). These graves formed
"small houses". Walls and roofs used to be decorated with skilful
frescos. The most famous of these graves is the grave of the
"Tuffatore" (diver), which still comes from the Greek (about 480 B.C.). The scene
represented on the roof slab symbolizes an almost harmonious transition
from life to death. These and further
finds also of the older Heraion,
at the Sele delta are shown in the national museum at the excavation
grounds.
The excavations and restorations still continue today.
Of course the temples of Paestum are a first-rate
tourist attraction. Also German's most famous poet Goethe visited them
in March 1787 just three decades after they were rediscovered and was
strongly impressed by them. Besides the temples Paestum has a lot to
offer also for less culture-inspired summer guests. There are many
4-star luxury hotels and numerous campgrounds along the long beaches
with pine and eucalyptus groves aside. During high season there are many
high quality open-air events close to the temples.
Courtesy of
Paestum.de
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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