Gulf of
Taranto Situated
in the center
of the Gulf of
Taranto Sibari
is the ideal
Base for
voyages towrds
the Adriatic,
Sicily, Malta,
Greece or
Turkey.
Sibari
Excavations of
Sibari
SIBARI
Sibari, the
most ancient
and famous
Hellenic
colony in
Magna Graecia,
was founded by
the
Peloponnesian
Ackaeans in
the VIII
century B.C.
in the centre
of the Gulf of
Taranto, among
the terminal
stretches of
the Rivers
Krathis and
Sybaris
(today's Crati
ana Coscile),
whose mouths
offered
excellent
mooring
possibilities.
The city,
thanks to the
fertility of
its plain in
which it was
situated,
became the
main peopling
centre of the
district and
one of the
greatest in
the ancient
world. Its
inhabitants
were estimated
about 300,000.
Besides the
agricultural
activities the
commercial
ones developed
very soon,
which made
Sibari the
greatest
trading centre
among the
cities of the
eastern
Mediterranean
and the Italic
western world,
as well as an
active traffic
bridge among
Greece, Italic
Hellas and
Etruria.
Between the
half of the
VII century
and the lust
decades of the
VI, Sibari
reached the
apogee of its
power and
wealth. But
together with
its economic
prosperity and
political
power there
was a custom
decadence
which made the
Sybarites
famous for
their
magnificence,
refinement and
lust. All of
this excited
the envy of
many cities,
especially of
the powerful
Croton which,
under the
influence of
the
philosopher
Pythagoras,
was
experiencing a
period of
revival of all
the civil,
spiritual and
moral virtues.
Shortly before
510 B.C. when
the tyranny of
Telis was
established,
the partisans
of the
overthrown
aristocratic
government
took refuge in
Croton which
refused to
hand them over
to the tyrant.
As a result a
battle on the
River Traente
(today's
Trionto) took
-place which
turned into
the victory of
the
Crotoniates
who, after a
few weeks'
siege, forced
Sibari to
surrender. The
city was razed
to the ground
and, according
to what
Herodotus
reports (V45),
the
Crotoniates
diverted the
course of the
River Crati so
that it flew
onto the
ruins.
The city,
which was long
sought by the
archaeologists,
was located
for certain
and brought to
light as from
the sixties.
The
excava¬tions
have not only
shown the
remains of the
ancient Sibari
but also wider
ruins of Turi,
the
Panhellenic
colony which
was built on
it in 444 -443
B.C. and
became later
on (194 B.C.)
the Roman
colony of
Copia.
As
to reach
Boat
The landing
away sea is
situated to
39° 44' 383" N
latitude
and 16° 30'
679" And
longitude
Auto
Highway A3
Salerno -
Reggio
Calabria Km
208:
- Gone out
Sibari - I
Sign -
- SS 534 - SS
106 - Marina
of Sibari
or Highway A14
gone out for
Taranto
- SS106 -
Sibari
Bus
Regular
service of
line Rome,
Naples, Bari,
Milan, Munchen
for Sibari
with bus big
tourism.
+39 0981 79027
- 
)
