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Founding of Sybaris

Sybaris was the first and by far the most important of the colonies founded by the Dorians on the coast of southern Italy. The foundation of the town is traditionally dated around 720 BC (according to Pseudo-Scimno [III century]) or 708 B.C. (according to Eusebius [III-IV century]), but it is likely that we should really go back to around 750 B.C., since by 700 BC, the Sybarites had established a settlement of about 300,000 inhabitants and an important power base which included, among many other colonies, that of Posidonia (also known as Paestum), a city that lies at the mouth of the Silarus river (today 'Sele'), on the Tyrrhenian coast of Lucania.

Paestum - a Sybaris Colony

In the early seventh century B.C. Posidonia was renowned for its city walls that followed a pentagonal plan, and extended over four miles, interspersed with square towers and four gates: certainly the most magnificent example of fortification that has reached us of all the Greek cities of Southern Italy. The fame of Posidonia is also, and above all, linked to its three temples: the Temple of Hera (mid-sixth century B.C.), the temple of Ceres-Athens (late sixth century B.C.), and the temple of Poseidon (mid fifth century B.C.).

The name of Sybaris probably derives from the nearby Coscile river called 'Sybaris' or from the 'Source Sybaris' at Bura in Achaea.

Its happy condition of economic prosperity and political supremacy aroused the jealousy of the nearby town of Crotone. In fact throughout the ancient world the arrogance of Sibariti' was well known - according to Diodorus Siculus (90-27 B.C.), the people of Sybaris were 'slaves of their bellies and lovers of luxury'. It was also said that it took a year to prepare a sumptuous dinner in Sybaris, with vintners, chefs and musicians...

In the Early sixth century B.C. on the banks of the 'Traente' river (today Trionto), there was a great battle, and Sybaris was heavily defeated; the city was taken and looted, and also largely destroyed. Apparently, the Crotonians diverted the current of the Crati river and Sybaris was literally washed away. The identification of the actual site of the city is a subject of controversy among scholars; the opinion which is now generally accepted that the ancient Sybaris had to be placed to the North of the Crati river. From some ancient statère (gold and silver coins) found in Sybaris, they also identify the emblem of the city, the bull (probably a symbol of the mighty Crati river). Under the figure of the bull there is a name, Mub or Sub, the letters of which are the initials of Sybaris.

The history of Sybaris continues with Pericles (495-429 B.C.), the great Athenian statesman. After numerous attempts to remake the city, unsuccessful due to the opposition of Croton, the Sybarites found strong support in Pericles. A new town was built in a different location, according to the directions of the oracle, at the source of the 'Thuria', and the city took the name Thurii.

The emergence of Thurii

In later centuries, Thurii became a Roman colony with the name of Copia Thurii ('Abundance'), and then it became a 'Municipium' in 84 B.C. Thurii was an important wealth town through the Imperial age, and into the early Middle Ages at which time it was subject to the dominion of the Normans and Byzantines. Towards the end of the seventh century A.D. the area of Thurii was abandoned because of environmental conditions.

The entire land area of Sybaris / Thurii was later recovered and restored in the early 1930s and today is a centre of some tourist attractions of archaeological, naturalistic and bathing interest.