Paestum

Paestum was a major ancient Greek city located on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Graecia. Today, its ruins are famous for three beautifully preserved ancient Greek temples built in the Doric order between about 550 to 450 BCE. Visitors can also see parts of the city walls, an amphitheatre, and paved roads that still remain.

The city was founded around 600 BCE by settlers from Sybaris, another Greek colony, and was originally called Poseidonia. For about two centuries, it flourished as a Greek settlement. Later, the Lucanians took control, and then the Romans renamed it Paestum in 273 BCE. Over time, changes in trade routes and flooding caused the city to decline.

Today, the ruins of Paestum are located near the modern village of Paestum, which is part of Capaccio Paestum in the Province of Salerno, Campania, Italy. The area is now a popular seaside resort with long sandy beaches, and there is a national museum on site that displays items found during excavations.

Name

The ancient Greeks who first built the city called it Poseidonia. Later, a group called the Lucanians took over and changed the name to Paistos. After that, the Romans came and gave the city its current name.

Ancient ruins and features

Paestum is famous for its well-preserved ancient Greek ruins, especially three large temples built between 550 and 450 BCE. These temples show the Doric style of architecture, with tall columns that widen slightly toward the bottom. Only one of the temples still has its top part, called the entablature, while the others have just the lower part, called the architrave.

The city of Paestum was once much larger than what has been excavated today. Only part of the city has been dug up, while the rest remains hidden under private land. The ancient city had strong walls that are still standing, measuring about 4.75 kilometers long and up to 7 meters high. There were four main gates in the wall and many towers along it.

The three Greek Temples

The first Temple of Hera, built around 550 BCE, is the oldest temple in Paestum. It was mistakenly called a basilica by old explorers, but inscriptions showed it was dedicated to the goddess Hera. The temple has wide columns and unusual features, like two doors inside.

The Temple of Athena, built around 500 BCE, sits on a high point in the city. It mixes Doric and Ionic styles and was later used as a Christian church.

The second Temple of Hera, built around 460–450 BCE, is next to the first Hera Temple. It has more columns with flutes and was used to honor Hera, possibly also Zeus and another unknown god.

Other archaeological features

Near the temples is a Roman forum, built over an earlier Greek marketplace. A small Roman temple nearby dates to 200 BCE and was dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.

An amphitheater from Roman times is partly visible, with only the western half remaining after a road was built over it. There is also a round council hall that may have had a roof at one time.

Painted tombs

Paestum is well-known for its painted tombs, especially the Tomb of the Diver from around 470 BCE. This tomb gets its name from a painting of a young man diving into water. The tomb’s walls are painted with scenes from Greek life and sports, and these paintings are now kept in a museum.

Sele complex

A few kilometers away is the site of a temple dedicated to Hera at the mouth of the Sele river. Although most of the temple is gone, many stone panels from the sixth century BCE were found and are displayed in the Paestum museum.

Art from Paestum

The National Archaeological Museum of Paestum holds many important artworks, including stone panels from the Sele temple, paintings from the Tomb of the Diver, and beautiful pottery pieces. The museum also shows large terracotta pieces from the temples and smaller statues made of clay.

History

Paestum was founded as Poseidonia by Greek Achaeans from Sybaris. The city began near the sea but was later built farther inland. It became an important Greek city with roads, temples, and other buildings.

Later, it was taken over by the Lucanians and became a Roman city named Paestum in 273 BCE. During Roman times, it prospered and even had its own coins. Eventually, the city declined and was abandoned, likely due to unhealthy swamp conditions and attacks by raiders.

Rediscovery

The ruins of Paestum were mostly forgotten until the 1700s, when people began to notice them again after discovering other ancient cities nearby. Artists like Giovanni Battista Piranesi made drawings of the temples that became very popular and influenced building designs in Europe.

There was some debate about what the buildings were—some thought they might be gyms or halls instead of temples. The first detailed book about the ruins was published in 1764.

Second World War

On September 9, 1943, Paestum was where the U.S. 36th Infantry Division landed during the Allied invasion of Italy. German forces fought back, leading to battles around the town for nine days. After the Germans left, the Allied forces used the temples as a safe place for medical help because they were not bombed.

Recent developments

In 2024, Italy's culture experts shared news that two more Doric-style temples were found at Paestum.

Coins

The coins from Paestum start from around 550 BCE. These early coins might have been made for festivals and often show Poseidon holding a trident. Coins were made there until the time of Tiberius. For some reason, Paestum was allowed to keep making its own bronze coins even after other smaller places in Italy stopped, thanks to a special rule made around 89 BCE. Later coins have the letters "P. S. S. C." which means "Paesti Signatum Senatus Consulto."

In fiction

Paestum has appeared in many stories and films over the years. The famous writer Mark Twain wrote about visiting Paestum in his book The Innocents Abroad. In the novel My Ántonia by Willa Cather, a character gets sick after staying out late to look at the old temples by the sea. The film Mare Nostrum also features a visit to Paestum.

Some movies, like Jason and the Argonauts, used Paestum for scenes with mythical creatures. The song from Goodbye Mr Chips ends with a beautiful view of the Temple of Neptune. The film Clash of the Titans has a battle scene set in Paestum, and the video game Medal of Honor: Airborne includes a mission there during a historical operation.