Heraclea Lucania

Coordinates: 40°13′12″N 16°40′11″E / 40.22000°N 16.66972°E / 40.22000; 16.66972
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Heraclea (Lucania)
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Heraclea
Ἡράκλεια
Siris
Founded432 BCE
EventsBattle of Heraclea
Site notes
ConditionRuined
OwnershipPublic
ManagementSoprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Basilicata
Public accessYes
WebsiteArea archeologica di Herakleia (in Italian)

Heraclea, also Heracleia or Herakleia (

Ancient Greek: Ἡράκλεια), was an ancient city. It was situated on the Gulf of Taranto between the rivers Aciris (modern Agri) and Siris (modern Sinni). The ruins of the city are located in the modern comune of Policoro in the Province of Matera, Basilicata, Italy
.

History

Map of ancient Lucania showing Heraclea (center right)

It was a

Diodorus in 432 BCE, fourteen years after the settlement of Thurii; a statement which appears to agree well with the above narrative, cited by Strabo from Antiochus of Syracuse.[3] Diodorus, as well as Livy, calls it simply a colony of Tarentum.[4] Antiochus is the only writer who mentions the share taken by the Thurians in its original foundation. Pliny erroneously regards Heraclea as identical with Siris, to which it had succeeded; and it was perhaps a similar misconception that led Livy, by a strange anachronism, to include Heraclea among the cities of Magna Graecia where Pythagoras established his institutions.[5]

The new colony appears to have risen rapidly to power and prosperity, protected by the fostering care of the Tarentines, who were at one time engaged in war with the

Alexander, king of Epirus, sought to transfer to the Thurians for the purpose of weakening the influence of Tarentum.[6]

But beyond the general fact that it enjoyed great wealth and prosperity, advantages which it doubtless owed to the noted fertility of its territory, we have scarcely any information concerning the history of Heraclea until we reach a period when it was already beginning to decline. We cannot doubt that it took part with the Tarentines in their wars against the Messapians and

Laevinus being totally defeated by the Epirot king in a battle (subsequently called the Battle of Heraclea) fought between the city of Heraclea and the river Siris, 280 BCE.[8]

Section of the 4th century Tabula Peutingeriana showing Heraclea.

Heraclea was certainly at this time in alliance with the Tarentines and Lucanians against Rome; and it was doubtless with the view of detaching it from this alliance that the Romans were induced shortly afterwards (278 BCE) to grant to the Heracleans a treaty of alliance on such favorable terms that it is called by

Venusia joined the coast road at Heraclea.[11]

The time and circumstances of its final extinction are wholly unknown, but the site is now desolate, and the whole neighbouring district, once celebrated as one of the most fertile in Italy, was by the mid-19th century almost wholly uninhabited. The position of the ancient city may nevertheless be clearly identified; and though no ruins worthy of the name are still extant, large heaps of rubbish and foundations of ancient buildings mark the site of Heraclea near Policoro, about 5 km from the sea, and a short distance from the right bank of the Aciris. Numerous coins, bronzes, and other relics of antiquity have been discovered on the spot. A medieval town, Anglona, was founded on the site; however, once a bishopric, now itself is but a heap of ruins, among which are those of an 11th-century church.

Tabulae Heracleenses

Further information:
Tables of Heraclea

The bronze tablets commonly known as the

Roman Law
.

Art

Heraclea is generally regarded as the native country of the celebrated painter Zeuxis, though there is much doubt to which of the numerous cities of the name that distinguished artist really owed his birth. But the flourishing state of the arts in the Lucanian Heraclea (in common with most of the neighbouring cities of Magna Graecia) is attested by the beauty and variety of its coins, some of which may deservedly be reckoned among the choicest specimens of Greek art; while their number sufficiently proves the opulence and commercial activity of the city to which they belong.[14]

Gallery

  • Coins found during excavations
    Coins found during excavations
  • Jewelry found during excavations
    Jewelry found during excavations
  • Pottery found during the excavations
    Pottery found during the excavations
  • Pottery found during the excavations
    Pottery found during the excavations
  • Silver coin from Heraclea (390-340 BC). Obv. Head of Athena with inscription ΗΡΑΚΛΗΙΩΝ, i.e. "of Heracleans". Rev. Herakles wrestling with the Nemean lion.
    Silver coin from Heraclea (390-340 BC). Obv. Head of
    Herakles wrestling with the Nemean lion
    .

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Herodotus, 8.61–62.
  2. ^ Strabo, 6.1.14.
  3. ^ Strabo, 6.1.14; Diodorus, 12.36.4.
  4. ^ Livy, 8.24 .
  5. ^ Livy, 1.18 ; Pliny, iii.11.97.
  6. ^ a b Strabo, 6.3.4.
  7. ^ Livy, 8.24 ; Strabo, 6.3.4.
  8. Liris
    ; and the same blunder occurs in Orosius, who says, apud Heracleam Campaniae urbem, fluviumque Lirim; for which last the editors substitute Sirim, though the mistake is evidently that of the author, and not of the copyist.
  9. ^ Cicero, pro Balbo, ( 22).50.
  10. ^ Cicero, pro Balbo (8).21.
  11. ^ a b Hogarth 1911.
  12. ^ Cicero, pro Archia (4).8.
  13. ^ Strabo, 6.1.14; Cicero, pro Archia (4).6, (5).10 ; Mela 2.68 ; Pliny, iii.11.97.
  14. Eckhel, p. 153; James Millingen
    , p. 111.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Herakleia.
Look up Ἡράκλεια in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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