Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE EARLY YEARS
The ancient Greeks were the first major players on the scene, setting up a trading post on
Ischia and another settlement at Cumae (Cuma) in the 8th century BC. As their main
foothold in Italy, Cumae became the most important city in the Italian peninsula's southw-
est during the next 200 years, a rich commercial centre whose sibyl was said to be Apollo's
mouthpiece.
According to legend, the traders also established Naples on
the island of Megaris, current home of the Castel dell'Ovo, in
about 680 BC. Christened Parthenope, its namesake was a sui-
cidal siren. Unable to lure the cunning Ulysses with her songs,
she drowned herself, washing up on shore.
Failure would also hit the Tuscany-based Etruscans, who
twice invaded Cuma and twice failed. After the second of these
clashes, in 474 BC, the Cumaeans founded Neapolis (New
Town) where Naples'
centro storico
(historic centre) stands.
Despite the Cumaeans' resilience, the Etruscan battles had
taken a toll, and in 421 BC the Greeks fell to the Samnites.
They, in turn, proved no match for the Romans, who took
Neapolis in 326 BC. Not long after, in 273 BC, they added
Paestum to their list, a Greek city dating back to the 5th century
Top Archaeolo-
gical Sites
» Paestum
» Pompeii
» Herculaneum
» Museo Archeologico
Nazionale, Naples
» Anfiteatro Flavio,
Pozzuoli
BC.
