SIBARI
The Peloponnesian
Achaeans in the
8th century a.C
founded Sibari,
the oldest and
most famous
Hellenic colony of
Magna Grecia. It
is located at the
center of the
Taranto gulf,
between the end
points of the
rivers Krathis and
Sybaris (modern
day Crati and
Coscile), the
fonts of which
offered a great
possibility of
berthing.
The city, thanks
to the fertility
of the plain it
was situated on,
became the
principle hub of
the population of
the region and one
of the greatest
centers of the
ancient world; it
is believed to
have had 300
thousand
inhabitants.
Quickly around the
agricultural
activities,
commercial ones
also developed,
which made Sibari
the greatest
commercial node,
between the cities
of the east
Mediterranean and
the western Italic
world. It also
became an active
bridge for traffic
between Greece,
Ellade Italica and
Etruria.
Between the middle
of the 7th century
and the last ten
years of the 6th,
Sibari reached the
pinnacle of its
power and riches.
But of equal step
to the flourishing
economics and
political power
was the forfeiture
of customs, much
to render the
famous Sibariti
ones for pomp,
refinement and
lust.
All of this
attracted the envy
of many cities;
especially
powerful Crotone
that under the
influence
exercised by
Pythagoras was
passing through a
stage of revival
of all civic
virtues, those
spiritual and
moral.
A short time
before 510 a.c.
the despotism of
Tellis took hold
in Sibari, the
partisans of the
defeated
aristocratic
government took
refuge in Crotone,
which refused to
consign them to
the tyrannical
leader. There
followed a battle
on the River
Traente (modern
day Trionto) that
ended in a
Crotonian victory,
that is, after a
siege that lasted
a few weeks, which
saw Sibari forced
to give up.
The city of Sibari
that was long
searched for by
archaeologists was
identified with
certainty and
brought to light
in 1970. The
excavations
brought to
attention not only
the remnants of
ancient Sibari,
but also extensive
remains of Turi,
the Parallenica
colony that
existed in the
same place between
444 – 443 a.c and
which then became
(194a.c.) the
Roman colony of
Copia.
In addition to the
archaeological
area situated on
the side of S.S.106Bis,
one can also visit
the
Nautical Center
and Lakes of
Sibari
and hence admire
the stupendous
lagoon, engineered
by man that is
home to over 2
thousand
embarkations.
These factors
locate Sibari as
one of the
greatest poles of
tourist attraction
of the
Mediterranean.
At the entry of
the Lakes Nautical
Center, rises the
National Museum of
Sibartide.
A few kilometers
away, near the
center of Cassano,
the
Sibari Hot
Springs
can be found. This
is a renowned
structure of hot
springs that is
noted for its
precious thermal
and medicinal
waters.
Coordinates
via sea are:
39 4512
latitude
And 16 29 83
longitude
Car
Highway A3
Salerno –
Reggio
Calabria
Exit Sibari –
Firmo
SS534 – SS106
– Marina di
Sibari
Or Highway A14
exit Taranto
Bus
Regular
service from
Rome, Naples,
Bari, Milan,
Florence,
Bologna,
Siena, Pisa,
Perugia,
Hanover,
Frankfurt,
Monaco,
Hamburg,
direction
Sibari with
bus company
Gran Turismo.
S Scheduled to
leave daily
from Rome,
Piazzale
Stazione
Tiburtina;
Naples, Piazza
Garibaldi;
Milan, Via
Foro
Bonaparte,
Santa Maria
Novella;
Perugia,
Piazza
Partigiani;
Siena, Piazza
Lalizza; Pisa,
Piazza
Vittorio
Emanuele;
Bari,
Largo
Sorrentino
)
)
)
