ANCIENT CITIES in CALABRIA: COSENZA, VIBO VALENTIA and REGGIO CALABRIA
Dear readers of history and of calabrian places, let's get to know some of the oldest cities in Calabria:
Cosenza, Vibo Valentia and Reggio Calabria.
Cosenza, Vibo Valentia and Reggio Calabria.
Positions
COSENZA
Highlights of its history - Cosenza was born between IX and VIII century b.C. with name of Kossa, it was a smalle village inhabited of a indigenous people (ethnic group of italics people).
In the IV century b.C. it was occupied by the Bruzi (pre-Roman calabrian people) who chose it as their capital, especially because it had a strategic geographical position straddling two river (Crati to north and Busento to south), for its territorial site it became great military and commercial importance.
In II century b.C. it was colonized by Romans with the name of Cosentia, in Augustan age (I century b.C., full Imperial age) was considered the capital of the Bruttium (Calabria), it became a rich city and an important roman statio on the consolar road Annia-Popilia, finally was considered the most influential city in northen Calabria.
In Imperial age between I and II century a.C. the city was equipped with important monuments and thermal baths.
The remains of the roman city are located under the medieval and Renaissance city, for example under the great palace late renaissance SERSALE are the ruins of the bath.
tract of roman walls in opus reticulatum - in the historic center
In the IV century b.C. it was occupied by the Bruzi (pre-Roman calabrian people) who chose it as their capital, especially because it had a strategic geographical position straddling two river (Crati to north and Busento to south), for its territorial site it became great military and commercial importance.
In Imperial age between I and II century a.C. the city was equipped with important monuments and thermal baths.
The remains of the roman city are located under the medieval and Renaissance city, for example under the great palace late renaissance SERSALE are the ruins of the bath.
palace SERSALE - 1590
REMAIN MOSAIC THERMAL BATH - under Sersale palace
STRUCTURES THERMAL BATHS - under Sersale Palace
Piazza Toscano - other remains roman and medieval structures, found between the renaissance palaces.
The figure above show the medieval/renaissance urban fabric.
NOTE: the roman urban fabric is situated under the medieval and renaissance town, therefore is difficult to give the urban limits of the roman Cosenza.
In late ancient (IV century A.D.) Cosenza was already episcopal see, in the 599 A.C. the bishop Palumbus from Cosenza is mentioned in the epistolary of Pope Gregorio Magno.
With the Lombards around to the VII century a.C. it became a important Gastaldato (administrative and fortified centre), near to the territorial boundaries so-called limes byzantine-lombard (figure below).
In late ancient (IV century A.D.) Cosenza was already episcopal see, in the 599 A.C. the bishop Palumbus from Cosenza is mentioned in the epistolary of Pope Gregorio Magno.
With the Lombards around to the VII century a.C. it became a important Gastaldato (administrative and fortified centre), near to the territorial boundaries so-called limes byzantine-lombard (figure below).
VIBO VALENTIA
Origins - Thanks to the attestation archaeological excavations the first frequentations of the city date back to the Neolithic age, by indigenous people with the name of Veip.
In the VI century b.C. the Greeks from Locri founded a subcolony with the name of Hipponion, important to have a commercial exchanges on Thirrenian sea.
in blu Locri and in red Vibo Valentia
Between IV and III century b.C. Hipponion was occupied by Bruzi (native people).
In the II century b.C. was colonized by Roman, elect as an important colony of latin law with the name of Valentia, at the same time there was the construction of the consular road (Annia-Popilia), on this great road the city will be a important stage (statio).
In the Imperial age (between the end of the I century b.C. and the end of the II century a.C.) the city became an important military and economic pole, its territory was dotted with productive villas and on the coast it had an important harbor, utilized by military troops already at the time of general and future Emperor Giulio Cesare.
Its harbor was distant, becouse the city was the placed more inland in the foothills (figure below).
In the II century b.C. was colonized by Roman, elect as an important colony of latin law with the name of Valentia, at the same time there was the construction of the consular road (Annia-Popilia), on this great road the city will be a important stage (statio).
In the Imperial age (between the end of the I century b.C. and the end of the II century a.C.) the city became an important military and economic pole, its territory was dotted with productive villas and on the coast it had an important harbor, utilized by military troops already at the time of general and future Emperor Giulio Cesare.
Its harbor was distant, becouse the city was the placed more inland in the foothills (figure below).
in red its harbor with a small port city (Vibona).
In the urban context of the roman city several domus are born, for their mosaics we understand that they were luxurious residences that belonged to high profile personalities, in this context a thermal complex with starry sky mosaic was also identified (figures below).
above mosaics "Nereide" - I-II ceentury b.C.
Impluvium (figure above) - it was a quadrangular tank designed to collect rainwater, located in the atrium.
The domus and the thermal baths are dated I-II century a.C., found in the northen part of the roman urbanic fabric of the city (point in blu).
In the domus and thermal baths area a head of the second half of the I century b.C. was also found, it is in veined marble and representing Vispanio Agrippa a politician, architect and military of Empire and son-in-law of Augustus.
the bust depicting Vispanio Agrippa is the best copy after that of Rome.
The general to send a copy to Vibo Valentia, as he had been paying attention to the municipium of Vibo since the time of the Emperior Giulio Cesare, who chose its important port as the seat of the marine fleet.
The roman city of Vibo Valentia in the IV century A.D. was abandoned and it moved to the higher areas of the town, become also bishop seat.
In the late ancient the territory around Vibo was full of productive villas, immersed in agricultural areas, some of them lived until to VI century a.C. (figure below).
Its harbor also in Byzantine age was very important, useful for export of foodstuffs and commercial exchanges.
Between IV and V century A.C. the area around Vibo until to the coast was agricol territory, to center of this lands there were many villas (punctuated in black) inhabited by local lords (nobiles, possessores), dedicating themselves to better management of their lands.
other image of Vibo Valentia seen from the east
REGGIO CALABRIA
Reggio Calabria is considered one of the most ancient cities in Europe inhabited by indigenous people called Ausoni, was founded by greek colonists in the VIII century b.C. with the name of Rhegion, for its geographical position became very rich.
The greek polis in the V century b.C. was known in the cultural context for its Philosophical Pythagorean school, school of sculpture and school of poetry.
ruins greek walls of Reggio Calabria
In the III century b.C. it was an ally in the Roman naval league during the Pyrrhic wars, in the 89 b.C. became roman municipium with the name of Regium Julium.
In ancient late Reggio Calabria became seat of Corrector (civil official of Roman Empire), its port was very important for the export of the agricultural and artisanal products.
archaeological area of Roman Baths
(foto by FAI)
The three cities were considered among the most important roman cities in the southern Italy, located along the consolar road Annia Popilia.
It were important statio (cities of rest and service) also frequented by Imperial bureaucratic and senators, this were cities of commercial exchanges for their territories.
It were important statio (cities of rest and service) also frequented by Imperial bureaucratic and senators, this were cities of commercial exchanges for their territories.
in blu Cosenza, in red Vibo Valentia and in green Reggio Calabria, the line black is the consolar roman road Annia Popilia.
NOTE: for the their importance Cosenza, Vibo Valentia and Reggio Calabria are mentioned on the roman epigraph Lapis Pollae (figure above): together with the others important centers on roman consolar route of the Annia-Popilia road (Capua-Reghium).
Dott. Giuseppe Lombardo
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