Listed 4 sub titles with search on: Information about the place for destination: "THOURII Ancient city PUGLIA".
On the E coast of the toe of Italy, the city lies some 134 km SW of
Taranto. The colony was founded in 443 B.C. by the Athenians, together with citizens
from the former city of Sybaris. Diodorus (12.10.6) states that it was not far
from Sybaris by a spring called Thuria. As early as 426 B.C. the port of Thurii
was considered an important one. During the 4th c. B.C., there was constant warfare
with the Lucanians and Bruttians, and the city became a voluntary Roman dependency.
As such it opposed Pyrrhos and Hannibal (App. Hann. 9.57). In an attempt to revive
the town after Hannibal, the Romans planted the colony of Copia there in 194 B.C.,
but it quickly declined and finally was abandoned (App. BCiv. 5.56).
Although Diodorus says that Thurii was founded not far from Sybaris,
the archaeological evidence points to the fact that it was built over the S section
of Sybaris. Hippodamos reputedly planned the city by dividing it up into twenty
wards formed by three main avenues which were bisected at right angles by four
streets. In the NE corner of the Serra Pollinara are the remnants of a Roman villa;
other Hellenistic and Roman remains have been found in the area. Late Classical,
Hellenistic, and Roman graves have come to light by the church of S. Mauro, by
the Torre Monachelle, and near the village of Frassa.
W.D.E. Coulson, ed.
This text is from: The Princeton encyclopedia of classical sites,
Princeton University Press 1976. Cited Nov 2002 from
Perseus Project URL below, which contains bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
(Thourioi), more rarely Thurium (Thourion). Now Terra Nuova; a Greek city in Lucania, founded B.C. 443, near the site of the ancient Sybaris, which had been destroyed more than sixty years before. It was built by the remains of the population of Sybaris, assisted by colonists from all parts of Greece, but especially from Athens. Among these colonists were the historian Herodotus and the orator Lysias. The new city, from which the remains of the Sybarites were soon expelled, rapidly attained great power and prosperity, and became one of the most important Greek towns in the south of Italy.
This text is cited Oct 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Thourioi: Eth. Thourinos, Thurinus. Called also by some Latin writers
and by Ptolemy Thurium (Thourion, Ptol.). A city of Magna Graecia, situated on
the Tarentine gulf, within a short distance of the site of Sybaris, of which it
may be considered as having taken the place. It was one of the latest of all the
Greek colonies in this part of Italy, not having been founded till nearly 70 years
after the fall of Sybaris. The site of that city had remained desolate for a period
of 58 years after its destruction by the Crotoniats; when at length, in B.C. 452,
a number of the Sybarite exiles and their descendants made an attempt to establish
themselves again on the spot, under the guidance of some leaders of Thessalian
origin; and the new colony rose so rapidly to prosperity that it excited the jealousy
of the Crotoniats, who, in consequence, expelled the new settlers a little more
than 5 years after the establishment of the colony. (Diod. xi. 90, xii. 10.) The
fugitive Sybarites first appealed for support to Sparta, but without success:
their application to the Athenians was more successful, and that people determined
to send out a fresh colony, at the same time that they reinstated the settlers
who had been lately expelled from thence. A body of Athenian colonists was accordingly
sent out by Pericles, under the command of Lampon and Xenocritus; but the number
of Athenian citizens was small, the greater part of those who took part in the
colony being collected from various parts of Greece. Among them were two celebrated
names,- Herodotus the historian, and the orator Lysias, both of whom appear to
have formed part of the original colony. (Diod. xii. 10; Strab. vi. p. 263; Dionys.
Lys. p. 453; Vit. X. Orat. p. 835; Plut. Peric. 11, Nic. 5.) The new colonists
at first established themselves on the site of the deserted Sybaris, but shortly
afterwards removed (apparently in obedience to an oracle) to a spot at a short
distance from thence, where there was a fountain named Thuria, from whence the
new city derived its name of Thurii. (Diod. l. c.; Strab l. c.) The foundation
of Thurii is assigned by Diodorus to the year 446 B.C.; but other authorities
place it three years later, B.C. 443, and this seems to be the best authenticated
date. (Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. p. 54.) The protection of the Athenian name probably
secured the rising colony from the assaults of the Crotoniats, at least we hear
nothing of any obstacles to its progress from that quarter; but it was early disturbed
by dissensions between the descendants of the original Sybarite settlers and the
new colonists, the former laying claim not only to honorary distinctions, but
to the exclusive possession of important political privileges. These disputes
at length ended in a revolution, and the Sybarites were finally expelled from
the city. They established themselves for a short time upon the river Traens,
but did not maintain their footing long, being dislodged and finally dispersed
by the neighbouring barbarians. (Diod. xii. 11, 22; Arist. Pol. v. 3.) The Thurians
meanwhile concluded a treaty of peace with Crotona, and the new city rose rapidly
to prosperity. Fresh colonists poured in from all quarters, especially the Peloponnese;
and though it continued to be generally regarded as an Athenian colony, the Athenians
in fact formed but a small element of the population. The citizens were divided,
as we learn from Diodorus, into ten tribes, the names of which sufficiently indicate
their origin. They were,- the Arcadian, Achaean, Elean, Boeotian, Amphictyonic,
Dorian, Ionian, Athenian, Euboean, and Nesiotic, or that of the islanders. (Diod.
xii. 11.) The form of government was democratic, and the city is said to have
enjoyed the advantage of a well-ordered system of laws; but the statement of Diodorus,
who represents this as owing to the legislation of Charondas, and that lawgiver
himself as a citizen of Thurii, is certainly erroneous. The city itself was laid
out with great regularity, being divided by four broad streets or plateae, each
of which was crossed in like manner by three others. (Diod. xii. 10.)
Very shortly after its foundation, Thurii became involved in a war
with Tarentum. The subject of this was the possession of the fertile district
of the Siritis, about 30 miles N. of Thurii, to which the Athenians had a claim
of long standing, which was naturally taken up by their colonists. The Spartan
general, Cleandridas, who had been banished from Greece some years before, and
taken up his abode at Thurii, became the general of the Thurians in this war,
which, after various successes, was at length terminated by a compromise, both
parties agreeing to the foundation of the new colony of Heracleia in the disputed
territory. (Diod. xii. 23, 36, xiii. 106; Strab. vi. p. 264; Polyaen. Strat. ii.
10.) Our knowledge of the history of Thurii is unfortunately very scanty and fragmentary.
Fresh disputes arising between the Athenian citizens and the other colonists were
at length allayed by the oracle of Delphi, which decided that the city had no
other founder than Apollo. (Diod. xii. 35.) But the same difference appears again
on occasion of the great Athenian expedition to Sicily, when the city was divided
into two parties, the one desirous of favouring and supporting the Athenians,
the other opposed to them. The latter faction at first prevailed, so far that
the Thurians observed the same neutrality towards the Athenian fleet under Nicias
and Alcibiades as the other cities of Italy (Thuc. vi. 44); but two years afterwards
(B.C. 213) the Athenian party had regained the ascendency; and when Demosthenes
and Eurymedon touched at Thurii, the citizens afforded them every assistance,
and even furnished an auxiliary force of 700 hoplites and 300 dartmen. (Id. vii.
33, 35.) From this time we hear nothing of Thurii for a period of more than 20
years, though there is reason to believe that this was just the time of its greatest
prosperity. In B.C. 390 we find that its territory was already beginning to suffer
from the incursions of the Lucanians, a new and formidable enemy, for protection
against whom all the cities of Magna Graecia had entered into a defensive league.
But the Thurians were too impatient to wait for the support of their allies, and
issued forth with an army of 14,000 foot and 1000 horse, with which they repulsed
the attacks of the Lucanians; but having rashly followed them into their own territory,
they were totally defeated, near Laus, and above 10,000 of them cut to pieces
(Diod. xiv. 101).
This defeat must have inflicted a severe blow on the prosperity of
Thurii, while the continually increasing power of the Lucanians and Bruttians,
in their immediate neighbourhood would prevent them from quickly recovering from
its effects. The city continued also to be on hostile, or at least unfriendly,
terms with Dionysius of Syracuse, and was in consequence chosen as a place of
retirement or exile by his brother Leptines and his friend Philistus (Diod. xv.
7). The rise of the Bruttian people about B.C. 356 probably became the cause of
the complete decline of Thurii, but the statement of Diodorus that the city was
conquered by that people (xvi. 15) must be received with considerable doubt. It
is certain at least that it reappears in history at a later period as an independent
Greek city, though much fallen from its former greatness. No mention of it is
found during the wars of Alexander of Epirus in this part of Italy; but at a later
period it was so hard pressed by the Lucanians that it had recourse to the alliance
of Rome; and a Roman army was sent to its relief under C. Fabricius. That general
defeated the Lucanians, who had actually laid siege to the city, in a pitched
battle, and by several other successes to a great extent broke their power, and
thus relieved the Thurians from all immediate danger from that quarter. (Liv.
Epit. xi.; Plin. xxxiv. 6. s. 15; Val. Max. i. 8. § 6.) But shortly after they
were attacked on the other side by the Tarentines, who are said to have taken
and plundered their city (Appian, Samn. 7. § 1); and this aggression was one of
the immediate causes of the war declared by the Romans against Tarentum in B.C.
282.
Thurii now sunk completely into the condition of a dependent ally
of Rome, and was protected by a Roman garrison. No mention is found of its name
during the wars with Pyrrhus or the First Punic War, but it plays a considerable
part in that with Hannibal. It was apparently one of the cities which revolted
to the Carthaginians immediately after the battle of Cannae, though, in another
passage, Livy seems to place its defection somewhat later. (Liv. xxii. 61, xxv.
1.) But in B.C. 213, the Thurians returned to their alliance with Rome, and received
a Roman garrison into their city. (Id. xxv. 1.) The very next year, however, after
the fall of Tarentum, they changed sides again, and betrayed the Roman troops
into the hands of the Carthaginian general Hanno. (Id. xxv. 15; Appian, Hann.
34.) A few years later (B.C. 210), Hannibal, finding himself unable to protect
his allies in Campania, removed the inhabitants of Atella who had survived the
fall of their city to Thurii (Appian, Hann. 49); but it was not long before he
was compelled to abandon the latter city also to its fate; and when he himself
in B.C. 204 withdrew his forces into Bruttium, he removed to Crotona 3500 of the
principal citizens of Thurii, while he gave up the city itself to the plunder
of his troops. (Appian, l. c. 57.) It is evident that Thurii was now sunk to the
lowest state of decay; but the great fertility of its territory rendered it desirable
to preserve it from utter desolation: hence in B.C. 194, it was one of the places
selected for the establishment of a Roman colony with Latin rights. (Liv. xxxiv.
53; Strab. vi. p. 263.) The number of colonists was small in proportion to the
extent of land to be divided among them, but they amounted to 3000 foot and 300
knights. (Liv. xxxv. 9.) Livy says merely that the colony was sent in Thurinum
agrum, and does not mention anything of a change of name; but Strabo tells us
that they gave to the new colony the name of Copiae, and this statement is confirmed
both by Stephanus of Byzantium, and by the evidence of coins, on which, however,
the name is written Copia (Strab. l. c.; Steph. Byz. s. v. Thourioi; Eckhel, vol.
i. p. 164.) But this new name did not continue long in use, and Thurii still continued
to be known by its ancient appellation. It is mentioned as a municipal town on
several occasions during the latter ages of the Republic. In B.C. 72 it was taken
by Spartacus, and subjected to heavy contributions, but not otherwise injured.
(Appian, B.C. i. 117.) At the outbreak of the Civil Wars it was deemed by Caesar
of sufficient importance to be secured with a garrison of Gaulish and Spanish
horse; and it was there that M. Coelius was put to death, after a vain attempt
to excite an insurrection in this part of Italy. (Caes. B.C. iii. 21, 22.) In
B.C. 40 also it was attacked by Sextus Pompeius, who laid waste its territory,
but was repulsed from the walls of the city. (Appian, B.C. v. 56, 58.)
It is certain therefore that Thurii was at this time still a place
of some importance, and it is mentioned as a still existing town by Pliny and
Ptolemy, as well as Strabo. (Strab. vi. p. 263; Plin. iii. 11. s. 15; Ptol. iii.
1. § 12.) It was probably, indeed, the only place of any consideration remaining
on the coast of the Tarentine gulf, between Crotona and Tarentum; both Metapontum
and Heraclea having, already fallen into almost complete decay. Its name is still
found in the Itineraries (Itin. Ant. p. 114, where it is written Turios; Tab.
Peut.); and it is noticed by Procopius as still existing in the 6th century. (Procop.
B. G. i. 15.) The period of its final decay is uncertain; but it seems to have
been abandoned during the middle ages, when the inhabitants took refuge at a place
called Terranova, about 12 miles inland, on a hill on the left bank of the Crathis.
The exact site of Thurii has not yet been identified, but the neighbourhood
has never been examined with proper care. It is clear, from the statements both
of Diodorus and Strabo, that it occupied a site near to, but distinct from, that
of Sybaris (Diod. xii. 10; Strab. l. c.): hence the position suggested by some
local topographers at the foot of the hill of Terranova, is probably too far inland.
It is more likely that the true site is to be sought to the N. of the Coscile
(the ancient Sybaris), a few miles from the sea, where, according to Zannoni's
map, ruins still exist, attributed by that geographer to Sybaris, but which are
probably in reality those of Thurii. Swinburne, however, mentions Roman ruins
as existing in the peninsula formed by the rivers Crathis and Sybaris near their
junction, which may perhaps be those of Thurii. (Swinburne, Travels, vol. i. pp.
291, 292; Romanelli, vol. i. p. 236.) The whole subject is very obscure, and a
careful examination of the localities is still much needed. The coins of Thurii
are of great beauty; their number and variety indeed gives us a higher idea of
the opulence and prosperity of the city than we should gather from the statements
of ancient writers.
This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited June 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
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