Thurioi

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Stater from Thurii, 350-300 BC Chr.
Thurioi (Thurii) on the Gulf of Taranto at the time of the Peloponnesian War

Thurioi ( Greek  Θούριοι ; Latin Thurium or Thurii ) was an ancient city in Magna Graecia on the Gulf of Tarentum near the older Sybaris . It owed its foundation to an attempt by sybaritic refugees and their descendants, the hometown of 452 BC. Chr. To re-establish. The remains of the city can be seen in an archaeological park and museum; the plants are located on both sides of the coastal road in the area of ​​the municipality of Cassano allo Ionio .

The colonists were driven out by the Crotonians five years later , but with the help of Athens and one of Pericles in 443 BC. The city was rebuilt by a mixed group of colonists sent from various parts of Greece under the leadership of Lampon and Xenokritus of Athens . Herodotus and the orator Lysias were among these colonists .

The claims of the sybaritic colonists soon led to differences of opinion and ultimately to their expulsion. After this expulsion, the city, originally founded under the old name Sybaris, was renamed Thurioi after a source Θούρια . Peace was made with Croton and, after a period of conflict, with Taranto . Thurioi quickly gained power, attracting many settlers from Greece, especially from the Peloponnese , so that the connections with Athens became weaker and weaker, especially since the Oracle of Delphi had decided that Apollo was the only founder of the city. During the Sicilian expedition to Athens, Thurioi was neutral at first, but finally supported Athens.

Thurioi had a democratic constitution drawn up by the sophist Protagoras , the city structure probably went back to Hippodamos . Numerous coinage testify to the prosperity and splendor of the city. Nevertheless, after a heavy defeat at Laos in 390 BC In the conflict with the Lucanians the decline.

Thurioi asked the Romans for help against the Lucanians, and 282 BC. Then also against Taranto. From that time the city was dependent on Rome and received a Roman military garrison. In the Second Punic War , Thurioi went in 212 BC. Over to Hannibal's side because hostages from Thurioi and Taranto had been executed in Rome. 204 BC The Carthaginian collaborators were resettled to Croton and the city sacked by the Carthaginians.

Archaeological Park

194 BC The city was re-established as a Roman colony under Latin law and was given the name Copia , which was soon changed back to Thurii. 90 BC The inhabitants received Roman citizenship . 72 BC The city was occupied by Spartacus . When the Roman Civil War broke out , Gaius Iulius Caesar stationed Gallic and Spanish cavalry in Thurii. 48th v. The city was besieged by Marcus Caelius Rufus , who died there. 40 BC Thurii was besieged unsuccessfully by Sextus Pompeius . After that, the city lost its importance, but is still mentioned until the 6th century, e.g. B. on the Tabula Peutingeriana , where it appears as Turios , and Prokop . In the 9th century the settlement appears completely abandoned.

The exact location of the old Greek settlement is not known, but that of the new Roman foundation, which was probably made at the same place. Ruins indicate that it is 7 kilometers east of Terranova di Sibari and had an area with a radius of 7 kilometers.

Like the sybaritic coins, the city's coins show the bull as a symbol.

literature

Web links

Commons : Thurii  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Diodorus , Libraries 12, 10.
  2. ↑ Diodorus 12, 11, 3.
  3. ↑ Diodorus 12, 10, 6f.
  4. ^ Livy, Ab urbe condita XXV, 7; XXV, 15
  5. ↑ Appian , Hannibal 34 and 57 ( English translation ).
  6. ^ Caesar, Civil War 3: 21-22.
  7. ^ Appian , Civil Wars 5:56 ; 5, 58; 5, 62.
  8. ^ Procopius, bellum Gothicum 1, 15.

Coordinates: 39 ° 41 ′ 42 ″  N , 16 ° 28 ′ 16 ″  E