Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/1122

 1098 TARENTUM. the land sule by drawing a double line of fortifica- tions across the isthmus, and made himself master of the sea by dragging a part of the fleet which was shut up within the inner port (or Mare Piccolo), across the narrowest part of the isthmus, and launching it again in the outer bay. (Pol. viii. 34 — 36; Liv. xxv. 11.) This state of things con- tinued for more than two years, during the whole of wiiich time the Carthaginians continued masters of the city, while the Eoman garrison still maintained possession of the citadel, and the besiegers were unable altogether to prevent them from receiving supplies from without, though on one occasion the Eomans, having sent a con^iderable fleet under D. Quintius to attempt the relief of the place, this was met by the Tarentines, and after an obstinate con- flict the Roman fleet was defeated and destroyed. (Liv. xxv. 1 5, xxvi. 39, xxvii. 3.) At length in B. c. 209 Fabius determined if possible to wrest from Hannibal the possession of this important post; and laid siege to Tarentum while the Carthaginian genera! was opposed to Marcellus. He himself en- camped on the N. of the port, close to the entrance, so that he readily put himself in communication with iI. Livius, the commander of the citadel. But while he was preparing his ships and engines for the assault, an accident threw in his way the oppor- tunity of surprising the city, of which he made himself master with little difficulty. The Cartha- ginian carrison was put to the sword, as well as a large part of the inhabitants, and the whole city was given up to plunder. (Id. xxvii. 12, 15, 16; Plut. Fah. 21 — 23.) Livy praises the magn.a- ijiniity of Fabius in not carrying oft" the statues and other works of art in which Tarentum abounded (Liv. xxvii. 16; Plut. Fab. 23); but it is certain that he transferred from thence to Rome a celebrated statue of Hercules by Lysippus, which long con- tinued to adorn the Capitol. (Strab. vi. p. 278; Plin. xxxiv. 7. s. 18.) The vast quantity of gold and silver which fell into the hands of the victors sufficiently bears out the accounts of the great wealth of the Tarentines. (Liv. I. c.) Tarentum had already suffered severely on its capture by Hannibal, and there can be no doubt that it sustained a still severer blow when it was retaken by Fabius. (Strab. vi. p. 278.) It was at first proposed to degrade it to a condition similar to that of Capua, but this was opposed by Fabius, and the decision was postponed till after the war. (Liv. xxvii. 25.) What the final resolution of the senate was, we know not; but Tarentum is alluded to at a subsequent period, as still retaining its position of an allied city, " urbs foederata." (Liv. xxsv. 16.) It is certain that it still remained the chief place in this part of Italy, and was the customary residence of the praetor or other magistrate who was sent to the S. of Italy. Thus we find in b. c. 185, L. Postumius sent thither to carry on investigations into the conspiracies that had arisen out of the Bacchanalian rites, as well as among the slave population. (Liv. xxxix. 29, 41.) But it is never- theless clear that it was (in common with the other Greek cities of this part of Italy) fallen into a state of great decay; and hence, in b. c. 123, among the colonies sent out by C. Gracchus, was one to Taren- tum, which appears to have assumed the title of Colonia Neptunia. (Veil. Pat. i. 15; Plin. iii. 11. p. 16; see Mommsen, in Berichte der Sltchsiscken Gesellschaft for 1849, pp. 49 — 51.) According to Strabo this colony became a flourishing one, and the TARENTUJL city enjoyed considerable prosperity in his day. But it was greatly fallen from its former splendour, and only occupied the site of the ancient citadel, with a small part of the adjoining isthmus. (Strab. vi. p. 278.) It was, however, one of the few cities which still retained the Greek language and manners, in common with Neapolis and Rhegium. (Jh. p. 253.) The salubrity of its climate, as well as the fertility of its territory, and, above all, the importance of its port, preserved it from the complete decay into which so many of the cities of JIagna Graecia fell under the Roman government. It is repeatedly mentioned during the civil wars between Octavian, Antony, and Sex. Pompeius as a naval station of importance; and it was there that in b. c. 36 a fresh arrangement was come to betvveen Octavian and Antony, which we find alluded to by Tacitus as the " Tarentinum foedus." (Appian, B. C. ii. 40, v. 50, 80, 84, 93 —99; Tac. Ann. i. 10.) Even under the Empire Tarentum continued to be one of the chief seaports of Italy, though in some measure eclipsed by the growing importance of Brundusium. (Tac. Ann. xiv. 12, Hist. ii. 83.) An additional colony of veterans was sent there un- der Nero, but with little eft'ect, most of them having soon again dispersed. (Tac. Ann. xiv. 27.) No subsequent mention of Tarentum is found in history until after the fall of the Western Empire, but it then appears as a considerable town, and bears an important part in the Gothic Wars on account of its strength as a fortress, and the excellence of its port. (Procop. B. G. iii. 23, 27, 37, iv. 26, 34.) It was taken by Belisarius, but retaken by Tot i la in a. d. 549, and continued in the hands of the Goths till it was finally wrested from them by Narses. From that time it continued subject to the Byzantine Em- pire till A. D. 661, when it was taken by the Lom- bard Romoaldus, duke of Beneventum (P. Diac. vi. 1) ; and afterwards fell successively into the hands of the Saracens and the Greek emperors. The latter did not finally lose their hold of it till it was taken by Robert Guiscard in 1063. It has ever since formed part of the kingdom of Naples. The modern city of Tarentum has a population of about 20,000 souls; it is the see of an archbishop, and still ranks as the most important city in this part of Italy. But it is confined to the space occupied by the ancient citadel, the extremity of the peninsula or promontory between the two ports: this is now an island, the low isthmus which connected it with the mainland having been cut through by king Ferdi- nand I., for the purpose of strengthening its fortifi- cations. Scarcely any remains are now extant of the cele- brated and opulent city of Tarentum. " Never (says Swinburne) was a place more completely swept off the face of the earth." Some sligiit re- mains of an amphitheatre (of course of Roman date) are visible outside the walls of the modern city; while within it the convent of the Celestines is built on the foundations of an ancient temple. Even the extent of the ancient city can be very imperfectly determined. A few slight vestiges of the ancient walls are, however, visible near an old church which bears the name of Sta Maria di Murveta, about 2 miles from the gates of the modern city; and there is no doubt that the walls extended from thence, on the one side to the Mare Piccolo, on the other side to the outer sea. The general form of the city was thus triangular, having the citadel at the apex, which is now joined to the opposite shore by a