Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1119

 TARENTUM. •would generally have reckoned it a city of Magna Gi'uecia, and not have regarded it as included in lapygia. Its sitnation is peculiar, occupying a promontory or peninsula at the entrance of an ex- tensive but shallow bay, now called the Mare Fic- colo, but in ancient times known as the Port of Tarentum, an inlet of above 6 miles in length, and from 2 to 3 in breadth, but which was so neaily closed at its mouth by the peninsula occupied by the city, that the latter is now connected by a bridge with the opposite side of the harbour. There can be no doubt that the ancient city originally occupied only the same space to which the modern one is now confined, that of the low but rocky islet which lies directly across the mouth of the harbour, and is now sepaiated from the mainland at its E. extremity by an artificial fosse or ditcli, but was previously joined to it by a narrow neck of sand. This may probably have been itself a later accumulation; and it is not uaUkely that the city was originally founded on an island, somewhat resembling that of Ortygia at Syra- cuse, which afterwards became joined to the main- land, and has again been artificially separated from it. As in the case of Syracuse, this island or pen- insula afterwards became the Acropolis of the en- larged city, which extended itself widely over the adjoining plain. Tarentum was a Greek city, a colony of Sparta, founded within a few years after the two Achaean C'lliinies of Sybaris and Crotona. The circumstances that led to its foundation are related with some variation by Antiochus and Ephorus (both cited by Strabo), but both authors agree in the main fact that the colonists were a body of young men, born during the First Messenian War under circumstances which threw over their birth a taint of illegitimacy, on which account they were treated with contempt by the other citizens; and after an abortive attempt at creating a revolution at Sparta, they determined to emigrate in a body under a leader named Phalan- thus. They were distinguished by the epithet of Partheniae, in allusion to their origin. Phalanthus, who was apparently himself one of the disparaged class, and had been the chief of the conspirators at S'.iarta, after consulting the oracle at Delphi, became the leader and founder of the new colony. (Antio- chus, ap. Strab. vi. p. 278 ; Ephorus, lb. p. 279; Serv. ad Aen. iii. 551; Diod. xv. 66; Justin, iii. 4; Scymn. Ch. 332.) Both Antiochus and Ephorus represent thein as establishing themselves without ditfieulty on the spot, and received in a friendly inanncr by the natives ; and this is far more probable than the statement of Pausanias, according to which they found themselves in constant warfare; and it WIS not till after a long struggle that they were able to make themselves masters of Tarentum. (Paus. x. 10. § 0.) The same author represents that city as jircviously occupied by the indigenous tribes, and already a great and powerful city, but this is highly improbable. The name, however, is probably of native origin, and seems to have been derived from that of the small river or stream which always con- tiinied to be known as the Taras; though, as usual, the Greeks derived it from an eponymous hero named Taras, who was represented as a son of Neptune and a nymph of the country. (Paus. lb. § 8.) It is certain that the hero Taras continued to be an object of sjjecial worship at Tarentum, while Phalanthus, who was revered as their Oekist, was frequently associated with him, and gradually became the sub- ject of many legends of a very mythical character, TARENTUM. lors in some of which he appears to have been confounded with Taras himself (Paus. x. 10. §§ 6-8, 13. § 10; Serv. ad Aen. I.e.) Nevertheless, there is no reason to doubt the historical character of Pha- lanthus, or the Lacedaemonian origin of Tarentum, which was confirmed by numerous local names and religious observances still retained there down to a very late period. (Pol. viii. 30, S.'i.) The Roman poets also abound in allusions to this origin of the Tarentines. (Hor. Carm. iii. 5. 56, ii. 6. 11; Ovid. Met. XV. 50, &C.') The date of the foundati;:n of Tarentum is given by Hieronymus as b. c. 708, and this, which is in accordance with the circumstances related in connection with it, is probably correct, though no other author has mentioned the precise date. (Hieron. Chron. ad 01. xviii.) The history of Tarentum, fir the first two cen- turies of its existence, is, like that of most other cities of Magna Graecia, almost wholly unknown. But the main fact is well attested that it attained to great power and prosperity, though apparently at first oversh.adowed by the superior power of the Achaean cities, so that it was not till a later period that it assumed the predominant position among the cities of Magna Graecia, which it ultimately at- tained. There can be no doubt that it owed this prosperity mainly to the natural advantages of its situation. (Scymn. Ch. 332—336; Strab. vi. p. 27S.) Though its territory was not so fertile, or so well adapted for the growth of grain as those of ^Meta- pontum and Siris, it was admirably suited for the growth of olives, and its pastures produced wool of the finest quality, while its port, or inner sea as it was called, abounded in shell-fish of all descriptions, among which the Murex, which produced the cele- brated purple dye, was the most important and valuable. But it was especially the excellence of its port to which Tarentum owed its rapid rise to opulence and power. This was not only landlocked and secure, but was the only safe harbour of any extent on the whole shores of the Tarentine gulf; and as neither Brundusium nor Hydruntum, on the opposite side of the Messapian peninsula, had as yet attained to any eminence, or fallen into the hands of a seafaring people, the port of Tarentum became the chief emporium for the commerce of all this part of Italy. (Pol. X. 1; Flor. i. 18. § 3.) The story of Arion, as related by Herodotus (i. 24) indicates the existence of extensive commercial relations with Corinth and other cities of Greece as early as the reign of Periander, b. c. 625 — 585. As the Tarentines gradually extended their power over the adjoining territories, they naturally came into frequent colli-sion with the native tribes of the interior, — the Messapians and Peucetians; and the first events of their history recorded to us relate to their wars with these nations. Their offerings at Delphi noticed by Pausanias (x. 10. § 6, 13. § 10), recorded victories over both these nations, in one of which it api>ears that Opis, a king of the lapygians, who had come to the assi.stance of the Peuee;ians, was slain; but we have no knowledge of the dates or circumstances of these battles. It would appear, however, that the Tarentines were continually gain- ing ground, and making themselves masters of the Messapian towns one after the other, until their progress was checked by a great disaster, their own forces, together with those of the Khegians, who iiad been sent to their assistance, being totally de- feated by the barbarians with great slaughter. Cilerod. vii. 170; Diod. xi. 52.) So heavy was their 4 A 4