Italia CulTour Idea: maggio 2014

THE MESSAPIAN HISTORY

The Messapians were an ancient Italic population that settled in Messapia , in an area corresponding to the southern Murgia and to Salento ( provinces of Lecce, Brindisi and part of the province of Taranto).
The original name of the area is uncertain, as to Messapia (perhaps " Land between the Two Seas ") was the name given to the territory by Greek historians .
The first signs of civilization date back to the eighth century BC messapica After 272 B.C. returned to the territory of Rome, while maintaining in part characteristics .
The origin of the Messapians is uncertain ; probably due to migration flows are uncertain and ever clearly demonstrated by Illyrian origin or Aegean- Anatolian arrived in Puglia at the threshold of the Iron Age around the IX century BC.
The hypothesis Illyrian , today the most widely accepted by scholars, is supported primarily by considerations of a linguistic.
The Cretan origin was based mainly on tradition and instead came from a famous passage from Herodotus on the origins populations iapigie
The oldest finds were made in archaeological excavations in caves near Otranto and Roca ;
the first permanent settlements were found in the town of Oria , equine and large ( dating back to the eighth century BC)

After the eighth century , around the seventh and sixth centuries BC you pass by construction plinth in huts with irregular stones , raised mud-brick (clay and straw) and coverage twisted branches ( it was rebuilt in a Vast educational purposes ) in buildings with several rooms , square-shaped , with stone walls and bricks and roofing tiles.
The most significant archaeological finds of the period related to messapico inhabited settlements took place in the towns of :
Alytia ( Gallipoli ), Ozan ( Ugento), Brention / Brentesion (Brindisi ), Hyretum / Veretum ( Patù), Hodrum / Idruntum ( Otranto ), Kailia ( Ceglie ), Mandyrion ( Manduria), Nerìton (Nardò),
Orra ( Oria ), Horse, Valesium ( Valesio ), Scamnum ( Muro Tenente between Latimer and Mesa ), Bastae ( Large ), Muro Leccese, gnathia ( Egnatia ), Carbina ( Carovigno ),
Sturnium ( Ostuni) and Soletum ( Soleto).

Apulia Map By www.Salamida.it

Other findings were also made to messapici Pezza Petrosa in the municipality of Villa Castelli, Francavilla Fontana, San Vito dei Norman ( Castello d' Alceste ), Noha Castro and vigils .
There is no evidence of the existence of " the twelve " political-military organization of the twelve most important centers messapici, which originates straboniana affirmation of the existence in the region of the thirteen city-state.

Almost all cities messapiche were built on a high place and they were encircled by one or more circles of walls .
The walls were usually made up of block structures, regularly square, of an average size of 1.30 x 0.60 meters.

The " Map of Soleto ", found in the homonymous center of Salent, some say messapica era, according to others a fake.
The dating with 14C has confirmed that the pottery is of the fifth century BC
It is still waiting for a confirmation from the laboratory in Sydney for the dating of graffit.
In the first case, it would be the oldest so far discovered western cartographic representation.
From the fifth century BC on the Messapians seem to be an association of city-state defensive function , similar to the Greek simmachie.
These towns autonomous, though not particularly large, could be up to thirteen cities in the territory to which Strabo mentions.
These simmachie be seen as rudimentary forms of international associations and momentary
intermittent because the members bound only for the short period of a war.

The history of the Messapians from the fifth to the third century B.C. is dotted with more or less ephemeral alliances against the Italiots or alongside Italioti:
know the kind alliance initiative Iapigia around 473 BC according antitarantina and antireggina, which led to the temporary victory of the Messapians on the two powerful cities of Magna Graecia and a punitive expedition against Iapigia Reggio.
The Greek historians state that the Messapians exterminated the army of Tarentines Reggini and profitably using their cavalry.
The defeat of Taranto and Reggio was terrible, Herodotus tells us that the extermination of Tarentines and Reggini.
The event had a strong echo in the world so much that greek Aristotle states that the incident "happened a bit ' after the Persians invaded Greece " and adds that it was also because of this defeat that Taranto changed his regime from aristocratic to democratic.

These events followed the liberation of Taranto , as documented by donario tarantino, by Hageladas Argo, built in the fifth century BC in Delphi showed that horses and women messapiche prisoners.

Thucydides relates a help offered in 413 BC by Messapians Athens, the so-called Peloponnesian War during the expedition against Syracuse.
The Athenian general Demosthenes and Eurymedon crossed the Ionian islands and landed Cheradi ( in front of Taranto ) to embark 150 javelin throwers messapi provided by prince Artas messapico ( dinastes ) in the name of an ancient treaty of friendship ( philia palaia ) between Messapians and Athenians .
In the fourth century established the alliance between Messapians Lucania and that in 356 BC led to the conquest of Eraclea and Metaponto and then the subsequent intervention in aid of Taranto by the king of Sparta Archidamus III, who is killed in battle right beneath the walls of the city in 338 BC messapica Manduria.

Between 333 B.C. and 330 BC, Alexander the Molossian king of Epirus, called by Tarantini, was victorious on Messapians [20]; after the death of Molossus (330 B.C.)
alliances and overthrew Messapians did not hesitate to ally themselves with before Taranto and Cleonimus of Sparta (304 BC ) as a function antilucana and anti-Roman then with Agathocles of Syracuse, and finally with Pyrrhus, at whose side they fought in 279 BC in the battle of Ascoli Satriano against Rome and even with Taranto (and Pirro).

Just the centuries-old war between the Messapians Taranto and was later partially favored the Roman conquest of Taranto itself first and then the whole Salento, completed around 260 BC
Among the most important shrines remember that the head of Leuca and to Oria. In particular, at Oria was present and active dall'VI century BC to Roman times are an important sanctuary (now the site at Monte Papalucio ), dedicated to the gods Demeter and Persephone.
Here took place there in the cave linked to the fertility cults , in fact, the archaeological excavations carried out in the eighties showed numerous charred remains pigs ( related to the two deities ) and pomegranate. In addition, to emphasize the importance of the sanctuary, here coins have been found of a large part of Magna Grecia, and thousands of vessels that have accumulated over the centuries as a votive deposit along the side of the hill.
Of particular interest some miniature vases and statuettes depicting doves and pigs sacred to the two deities which was dedicated place of worship.

By http://www.museidelsalento.it/

A further clue is provided by Festo which reports that the Messapians a horse consecrated to Jupiter throwing him into the fire alive, but we do not know the other methods of sacrifice; we can only bring him back to the practice of the horse that had so much importance to the Messapians and for the Italian population in general.
The Messapians founded several cities which can be divided into two groups: the city with agricultural-pastoral economy ( Rudiae Cavallino , Ceglie and Vast ) and city with mercantile economy .
The economy messapica, therefore, was highly differentiated, not only economy of production, but also to the market.
Agriculture was based on the cultivation of olive trees ( nature, according to the ancients, very close to the wild olive tree ) and wheat.
They also practiced the cultivation of pears, vegetables and legumes, particularly thriving viticulture.
Another very important item messapica economy was the herding and breeding of cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and even dogs considered to be of great race, Varro as evidenced in a passage of his ' Res Rusticae.
Horace, however, refers to beekeeping widely practiced in northern Messapia ( " Carmina " , 11116 , vv. 33-37).
The craft was mainly based on products of ceramic, terracotta and bronze, including the mirrors products in the areas close to Brindisi.
Feature of production messapica was the vessel called " trozzella " so named for the decorations on the handles in the shape of the wheel.

Trozzelle , ceramic products, picture by http://www.brindisiweb.it/

The difference between the native productions or Greek, is given mainly by the fact that the artisans messapici not used the lathe until many centuries after the Greeks.
Although the fishing was very important ( bream, apricolee many others), together with the breeding of shellfish, practiced on the Adriatic coast (oysters ) and mussels on the Ionian coast.
The trades were divided into two types: internal and maritime transport.
Domestic traffic was held by land; between town and city, or from the inside to ports and exploited donkeys or horses.
Vast and Muro Leccese could represent the reference points within Otranto the landing on the sea .
The ships were carrying agricultural products (especially wheat to Greece ) and craft products.
The artifacts are classified by archaeologists as belonging to the style " geometric " Salento which is developed in two phases ( respectively the middle and late geometric) and
that is, in the first and second half of the eighth century BC with extensions until the early decades of the sixth century as witnessed by fragmentary material from the excavations of Otranto with the presence of the motif of the "spokes Albanians " derived from the vessels " devolliani " in Albanian territory , but also found in Otranto.
In the early years of the fifth century BC also Messapians, in imitation of the Greek colonies, began to mint coins.
The centers of which it is assumed chattering money and where artifacts have been found are: Balethas ( Gallipoli ), Brention / Brentesion (Brindisi ), Graxa ( unidentified )
Kasarium ( Casarano ? ) Nareton ( Nardò ) , Orra ( Oria ) , Ozan ( Ugento) , Samadi ( unidentified ) .

Translation from http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messapi

Nardò (Lecce), Porto Selvaggio Natural Oasis by http://www.thepuglia.com/

Gallipoli, the beautiful

The city's name is derived from Kale polis, a name imposed by Greek colonists from Greece,whose meaning is beautiful city.

During 265 BC, Gallipoli was conquered by the Romans, who at that time were a major power in Italy .

These improved communication systems of the city, connecting Gallipoli to the Via Traiana, this allowed a rapid transition towards the Balkans, and also expanded and developed port activities, transforming the city into a center of Gallipoli military and later in the town hall.

Later, it was occupied by barbarians who sacked the city in 450 A.C., and marked one of the most terrible and cruel period in the history of Gallipoli.

During the 500 A.C, Gallipoli, along with most of Salento, were dominated by the Byzantines for 42 years .

Later, in 542 A.C. Gallipoli was rebuilt completly from ' Roman Empire of Onesti, it potentiated by the defense features, such as the construction of the castle in defense of the old town of Gallipoli (you see the above picture).

Gallipoli became one of the most important military and naval centers of the Ionian Sea .

In this period Gallipoli knew the Greek Orthodox religion, traditions and language of the Byzantines, at the same time in all Salento.

In 710 A.C. Gallipoli was visited by Pope Constantine, who passed by, during which he was making the trip from Rome to Constantinople .

During the eleventh century, Gallipoli were occupied by the Normans who liberated the city from the Greeks and then, after a period of calm, the city undergoes a ferocious siege by King Charles I, D ' Angiò, which lasted until 1268. Subsequently, he found the strength to expand, thanks to the continuous increase in port activities.

After a short period of various rulers , Gallipoli came under Spanish rule .

During this period, it had a ' craft activities increase, the trade routes became more important,

as the trade of the ' oil for the lamps, in short, the city became increasingly rich and important.

Subsequently, Gallipoli became part of the Kingdom of Naples, and Ferdinand I of Bourbon,

he began a series of improvements to the city, the most important is that of the construction of the port .

During the subsequent period Bourbon, became the capital of the district, and later with the ' Unity' Italy,

became the capital of the district, along with the city of Lecce and Taranto.

Gallipoli today, has become one of the most important tourist city of Salento and certainly d ' Italy.

It's improving always giving more importance to tourism mentioning the history and traditions of the people of Gallipoli .

[Traduction www.gallipolinelsalento.it/storia-gallipoli/]

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_(Italia)

For nice B&B http://www.bb30.it/
Tourism Promotion Agency http://www.prolocogallipoli.it/contatto.shtml

Gallipoli, the old city on a nice little isle like a precious diamond to discover .

Italia CulTour Idea

sabato 31 maggio 2014

Italian CulTour Idea: Salento, Fusion of Art, Culture, History, Sea

Salento, Fusion of Art, Culture, History, Sea