Archaeologists have uncovered two “exceptional” temples in a major ancient Greek city that changed hands several times over the centuries and whose history stretches back around 2,600 years.
The remains of the temples were uncovered at the archaeological site of Paestum, which is located on the western coast of southern Italy in the province of Salerno in the region of Campania, the country’s Ministry of Culture announced.
Paestum was an important settlement in Magna Graecia, the name the Romans used to refer to the coastal areas of southern Italy that were inhabited by Greek speakers. These regions had been extensively populated by Greek settlers, starting from around the 8th century B.C.
Paestum is thought to have been founded around 600 B.C. by settlers from Sybaris—the most populous city of Magna Graecia. Paestum, which was originally called Poseidonia by the Greeks, thrived for around two centuries before being conquered by the Lucanians—an Italic tribe—in around 400 B.C. The settlement subsequently came under Roman rule in 273 B.C. when it was renamed Paestum.
Ministero della Cultura
The city eventually went into decline and was finally abandoned during the Middle Ages after being sacked by Muslim raiders in the 9th century. It was largely forgotten before the site was rediscovered in the 18th century.
The archaeological site is renowned for its three remarkably well-preserved ancient Greek temples in the Doric order—an early classical architectural style. These major temples—dedicated to the deities Hera, Athena and Poseidon, respectively—were all built between roughly 550 B.C. and 450 B.C.
The newly uncovered temples, which were also constructed in the Doric style, were unearthed in the western area of the ancient settlement, close to the city walls and located just a few hundred feet from the sea.
The latest discovery broadens our understanding of the ancient settlement, as well as the evolution of Doric architecture in Poseidonia and Magna Graecia in general, according to the ministry. The findings significantly expand our knowledge of the city’s layout, for example.
Tiziana D’Angelo, the director of the Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia, described the discoveries as “exceptional” in a press release, saying they provide key new evidence that will help to reconstruct the ancient history of Poseidonia.
“The recent discoveries confirm how much there is still a lot to do in Paestum in terms of excavations, research and also in terms of valorization,” Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy’s culture minister, said in the release.
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