Day 88 A Greek farming colony on the Gulf of Taranto

DAI

The fertile alluvial plains on the Ionian coast of southern Italy were magnets during the Greek westward colonization, especially for emigrants from the barren Peloponnese. Along with the Achaean city of Sybaris, legendary for its wealth, the city of Metapontum west of Taranto may be seen as the best illustration today of a major Greek farming colony. Excavations have been conducted in the city and extensive investigations in the agricultural land surrounding it.

Partial reconstruction of Temple A (Photo: S. Neumann, DAI Rome)

Since 1966 the DAI Rome has cooperated closely with the Basilicata archaeological department in excavations, in making the complex city centre with its principal santuary and agora suitable for tourism, and in researching the urban layout of the entire polis.

  • View south-east; Temples A, B and D in the background (Photo: S. Neumann, DAI Rome)
  • View from the south with the theatre-ekklesiasterion in the background (Photo: S. Neumann, DAI Rome)

Further information: https://www.dainst.org/project/33531

http://www.archeobasilicata.beniculturali.it/WA_Musei_Archeologici.aspx?pagina=Metaponto