Page 487 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

INTRODUCING SOUTHERN IT AL Y  485

Metapontion was home to Taras was home to the
Pythagoras after his expulsion from philosopher and
Crotone. Its ruins include Doric scientist Archytas, and
temples, the Tavole Palatine and to Aristoxenes, author
a theatre (see p523). of the earliest treatise
on music.
Founded by Spartan
Greeks (8th century BC),
Taras was a rich and
Museo powerful city.
Museo Archeologico Greece and its Colonies
• Nazionale di Nazionale 7th–5th century BC
HERAKLEIA
Ercolano Metaponto • TARAS
Sele Basento Taranto
The Sybarites were
METAPONTION •
• Metaponto famed for their luxurious
ELEA lifestyle, hence the word
Velia “sybaritic”. The wealth of
SIRIS •
Nova Siri Sybaris resulted from trade
with the Etruscans.
In about 540 BC, Crotone
SYBARIS •
Sibari • became the chief school of
THURII Pythagoras’s philosophy. Here the
Thuri great thinker and mathematician
remained for 30 years, until the
KROTON government (which he supported) was
overthrown, and he was expelled.
Crotone •
The Strait of Messina vexed
Locri Epizefiri was Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s
the first Greek city to Odyssey. Here, at the meeting of
have a written
ZANKLE- code of law. two seas, the currents
MESSENE created a “whirlpool” –
Messina Charybdis – which
TYNDARIS • • LOKROI posed a threat to safe
Locri Epizefiri
Tindari • • entry of Messina (see p542).
Monte RHEGION Another threat were the Sirens,
Etna Reggio di Calabria who lured voyagers onto rocks
• NAXOS with their singing. Odysseus is
Giardini Naxos
seen here tied to a mast, so he can
Simeto Plato the philosopher hear their song but resist its call.
KATANE visited Syracuse and
advised the ruler
Gatania • Dionysius II how to govern.
MEGARA HYBLAEA Demeter and Persephone
Megara •
SYRAKOUSAI The complex web of Greek mythology was part of the daily life of
• Siracusa
the ancients. Enna was once the seat of the cult of
Demeter, the earth goddess, and between
480 and 460 BC a temple was erected
Museo there in her honour. According to the
Archeologico legend, Persephone, the daughter of
Regionale Demeter and Zeus, was abducted in the
Paolo Orsi nearby fields by Hades, who carried her off into
the Underworld. Demeter then left Olympus and
wandered the world searching in vain for her
daughter. Discovering that Zeus had allowed the
abduction to happen, Demeter put a blight on
The mathematician and Sicily: it would remain barren until Persephone
inventor Archimedes was returned. Finally, Hades allowed her return from
born in Syracuse c.287 BC. the Underworld, but only for a few months of
His inventions included the each year – from spring to autumn. Demeter,
famous Archimedean screw, satisfied with the result, ensured that Sicily
and various weapons to stave became the most fertile place on earth. Sculpture of Persephone
off the Romans (see pp546–7).
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