Founded around the end of the 8th century BC (710 BC) by Greek settlers from the city of Rhypes in Achaea, a region of the northern Peloponnese, Kroton arose at a strategic point along the Ionian coast, on the maritime routes linking Greece with southern Italy. According to ancient tradition, the seer Myskellos guided the settlers to the banks of the Esaro River, following the response of the oracle of Delphi.
In the centuries that followed, Kroton gradually established itself as one of the most important cities of Magna Graecia, governed by an oligarchic system—that is, rule by a few—composed of elders who held judicial, religious, and decision-making power. Renowned for the salubrity of its climate and the physical strength of its inhabitants, the city achieved wide international fame
... read more >Founded around the end of the 8th century BC (710 BC) by Greek settlers from the city of Rhypes in Achaea, a region of the northern Peloponnese, Kroton arose at a strategic point along the Ionian coast, on the maritime routes linking Greece with southern Italy. According to ancient tradition, the seer Myskellos guided the settlers to the banks of the Esaro River, following the response of the oracle of Delphi.
In the centuries that followed, Kroton gradually established itself as one of the most important cities of Magna Graecia, governed by an oligarchic system—that is, rule by a few—composed of elders who held judicial, religious, and decision-making power. Renowned for the salubrity of its climate and the physical strength of its inhabitants, the city achieved wide international fame thanks to its successes in the athletic competitions of the Greek world and to its role as a center of significant cultural importance.
The earliest finds from the present-day urban center bear witness to the initial phases of the city’s life. Geometric-style pottery, imported Greek vessels, and funerary objects recovered from the Carrara necropolis recount the rituals, customs, and worldview of the earliest inhabitants. Some ceramic fragments already depict the tripod, a sacred and civic symbol linked to the cult of Apollo, chosen as the official emblem of the city. Other materials document ritual practices and the social evolution of the Achaean community. Jewelry, weapons, and pottery of both Greek and local production illustrate in particular the process of cultural integration and transformation between the settlers and the indigenous populations.
Architectural fragments and votive objects evoke the public and religious life of Archaic Kroton: figurines, small altars (arulae), and terracotta offerings testify to the importance of domestic cults and protective deities.
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