TARAS (city in Iapygia)
Ancient Greek city
- Kind of place
- City
- Region
- Iapygia
- Where
- 40.45° N, 17.27° E
Tarentum is a Greek city established as a colony by the Lacedaemonians. Pausanias 10.10.6 The city was named after the hero Taras, son of Poseidon. Pausanias 10.10.8 The city contains a noble gymnasium and a spacious forum. Strabo 6.3.1
Described in the sources
Tarentum is situated near the Italiots, Sybaris, the Salentine Neæthus, and Metapontium, with the territory of the Tarentines conterminous with Metapontium, which is approximately 220 stadia distant. Ovid Met. 15.1-59 (4) +4 Tarentum is in Italy, and Antiochus described it as beyond Italy, calling it Iapygian. Herodotus 3.136.1 +2 Tarentum is situated in a region of Italy far from the Ausonian Sea, at the bottom of the Gulf of Tarentum, within the fifth climatic zone. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 14.8 ¶7 +2 Tarentum is located on a peninsula in the region of Messapia, connected to the mainland by an isthmus 310 stadia long, and is situated next to the region of Iapygia. Strabo 6.1.15 +2 Tarentum, along with Rhegium and Neapolis, remained Greek while the rest of the region became barbarian. Strabo 6.1.11 +1 Pyrrhus left Tarentum to travel to Sicily and later returned to the city with the rest of his ships after a defeat. Pausanias 1.12.5 +1 Tarentum is located a distance of 1700 stadia from the promontory Phalacrum and six hundred stadia from the small city of Baris. Strabo 6.3.5 +1 Tarentum is located roughly equidistant from Brentesium and Barium, with the city of Uria situated between Tarentum and Brentesium. Strabo 6.3.7 +1 The Tarentines refused to accept Gillus back into their city, despite being expected to welcome him because the Cnidians were their friends. Herodotus 3.138.2 +1 The Leucani who held midland regions lived above the Gulf of Tarentum, while the Messapians, a non-Greek group, lived on the border of this territory. Pausanias 10.10.6 +1
Gods and worship
Tarentum was renowned for manufacturing the branches of lamp-stands. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 34.6 ¶1 On the anniversary of the deaths, they offer sacrifices to Jupiter the Thunderer. Athenaeus 12.23 They do not offer customary libations or bewail the dead on the anniversary of their death. Athenaeus 12.23
Stories and history
The Romans took the city by force and sacked it. Strabo 6.3.1 A brazen colossus of Jupiter stands in the forum. Strabo 6.3.1 The Tarentini originally migrated to the area from Laconia. Strabo 6.1.15 The entire city became drunk during the Dionysiac festival. Athenaeus 4.43 The Achaeans of Sybaris harbored hatred toward the Tarentini. Strabo 6.1.15 The Tarentines wore very beautiful fringes on their garments. Athenaeus 12.23 The other local almond variety possesses a harder outer shell. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 15.24 ¶3 They gathered young people from Carbina into the local temples. Athenaeus 12.23 Wool from Tarentum is described as having a peculiar dark tint. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 8.73 ¶1 The Spartan Phalanthus is identified as the founder of the city. Pausanias 10.10.6