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Archaeological site and reasons for the choice

The archaeological site is Lokroi Epizephirioi. Lokroi Epizephirioi, one of the larger Greek poleis in Calabria, is today the most famous polis for on account of the considerable historical information handed down by the ancient literary sources and for the important archaeological evidence that it provides.

Historical placement

The ancients called Lokroi «Epizephirioi» that is, close to Capo Zefirio (today Capo Bruzzano) a promontory on the Ionian coast of Southern Calabria characterised by an inlet which is sheltered from winds from the west, where the colonists who had arrived from Lokris a region in central Greece, settled for some years before moving to their definitive location on the height called Esòpis about 20 km. further north.
Settlement took place around the end of the 8th century BC according to the testimony of Strabone, ancient historian and geographer and this is further confirmed by the chronology of the most ancient archaeological finds which come from the area of the polis.
The city quickly organised itself according to a rigid order of an aristocratic kind, sanctioned by the code of laws attributed to Zaleuco , perhaps the most ancient code from the Greek world and European Culture. The settlement on the Tyrrhenian coast of Medma (today Rosarno) and Hipponion (today Vibo Valentia) around 600 BC and the subsequent astonishing victory over Kroton at the battle of the fiver Sagra, marked the most flourishing moment for Lokroi in the ancient period.
In the 5th century BC repeated hostilities against Rhegion reinforced the alliance with Syracuse, which in the 4th century effectively became dependent on Lokroi under the tyrants Dionysisus I and Dionysisus II. The violent expulsion of the latter from Lokroi marked the introduction of a democratic regime which is documented by the bronze tablets inscribed in the archive of Zeus Olimpio. After having taken sides with Pyhrrus, Lokroi became a stable part of Rome, against which it rebelled during the second Punic War, suffering the punishment of Scipio. The resulting economic and demographic crisis brought about a diminution in the population of Lokroi which became a municipium in 89 BC.
During the Imperial period, Lokroi remained the principal centre of the territory, in which large landed estates developed which were commanded by the large agricultural-residential complexes of the villae. Arab raids and the spread of malaria caused the abandonment of the coastal stretches and the inhabitants took refuge inland at Gerace, which was destined to become the main centre of the area until the last century. More than for historical events, Lokroi is well known for its social organisation and the legal dictates emanated by Zaleuco, which were essential rules for discipline among the various ethnic groups present in the city also took hold on the Tyrrhenian coast with the foundation of the sub colonies of Medma and Hipponion. This last was the birthplace of the poetess Nosside, who lived during the 3rd century BC, to Timeus the magistrate and teacher to Plato, to Senocrito, musician and lyric poet, to Eutimo twice winner of the Olympic Games, to Agesidamo, the boxer, remembered by Pindarus in the tenth and eleventh Olympics. Nosside leaves beautiful verses. Here is a fragment, dedicated to the land of her birth:

“Stranger, if on your sea journey, you come to Mitilene of the beautiful choruses,
To gather the flower of the graces of Sappho
Which were dear to the Muse, and the land of Lokroi bore me,
My name, remember it, is Nosside, now go.”

Geographical layout of the archaeological site (maps, historical horography, kinds of plants and landscape)

Geography

Wide range environment
The archaeological site of Lokroi is situated about 8 km south west of the modern town of Lokroi, along the Ionian coast of southern Calabria, in the South of Italy.





Topography of the site
The Greek city developed on a vast surface of over 230 hectares in part situated on the coastal plain and in part on the hills behind which were carved by deep valleys. The city wall whose circuit ran to about 7 km follows a straight path in the plain and then rises skirting the brow of the hills until it comes to the strong fortifications at the summit of the hills of Castellace, Abbadessa and Mannella. Outside the urban confine there are the necropoli and also the sacred areas, the sanctuary of Mannella, dedicated to Persephone and the sanctuary of Grotta Caruso which was developed around a natural water spring and was centre of the cult of the Nymphs, the sanctuary of Demetra in contrada Parapezza, the sanctuary to Aphrodite in contrada Centocamere. Inside the city there were other sanctuaries which had buildings of great architectural value, such as the Ionian temple of Marasà and the Doric temple of casa Marafioti. Downhill from the latter, there was a stone shrine containing bronze tablets carrying written financial accounts for the sanctuary of Zeus Olimpio Among the public buildings of note there is the theatre, erected at the limit point between the coastal plain and the hills exploiting a natural concavity. The agora, the great market square and centre of public life must have been nearby. On the plain, the inhabited area was organised according to a regular urban scheme, with straight roads meeting each other at right angles. A dense series of parallel roads, defined by the ancients as stenopoli (narrow roads) ran from the hills towards the sea in order to facilitate the flow of rainwater, thus forming long and narrow rectangular blocks. These roads were intersected by a small number of big roads called plateiai (wide roads): one which was around 14 m. wide ran not far from the walls in a direction parallel to the coast. Another corresponds more or less to the prsent day road of the Dromo, which preserves its original Greek name and constitutes a natural path to the foot of the hills which continues for hundreds of kilometres along the Ionian coast. The most extensively investigated part of the inhabited sector is that of Centocamere, with houses which have crafts laboratories for the working of clay and shops for the sale of finished goods.



Flora and Fauna
The main information existing which regards the landscape are: cereals on the plain; olives on the hill; holy wood on the hilltops. Other information regarding flora and fauna can be derived from knowledge of the eating habits of the populace of Magna Grecia. The most common foodstuff was fish above all in the cities by the sea. Fishing activity is testified to by the finding of weapons in bronze in varying dimensions and of other equipment which was used for the repair of nets. The consumption of molluscs is demonstrated by finds of shells in the inhabited areas. Lokroi is an emblematic case because a dump for shells has been found there and some of these were even found stuck to the base of a pot. Meat, on the other hand, was consumed more rarely and was a foodstuff which only the rich could afford. Livestock bred above all for agricultural purposes provided, however, milk and cheese products. The most consumed foodstuffs were those which came from the land, vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes. Legumes were highly important in the diet of the Greeks because they guaranteed proteins in place of the meat which not everyone was able to eat. In the Crotone area, five species of legume were cultivated and broad beans were cited in Lokroian inscriptions. The dig in the inhabited part of Lokroi has revealed the presence of deep pots with handles and lids for the cooking of legumes. This was clay pottery, particularly heat resistant and therefore suitable for the prolonged cooking required for legumes. As far as fruit is concerned, it was used, according to archaeological and historical sources, during daily meals, sacred ceremonies and funeral rites. Those most consumed were figs, apples, pomegranates and grapes. Less common were dates, pistachio nuts, poppies and pine nuts. The Lokroian pinakes represent offerers with plates or baskets full of fruit. There is the famous type of pinax which shows a female figure collecting pomegranates from a fruit tree in the presence of the goddess Persephone.



Among the vegetables, on the other hand, the cultivation of cabbage was widespread. The most usual foodstuff must have been a type of polenta, or a kind of flat bread made of barley and spelt, mixed with water, wine, oil or honey depending on availability and the circumstances, accompanied by greens or legumes, bulbs, roots and also olives, cheeses and figs, mostly dried.



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