Ancient Italy 4.2 Etruscans and Samnites in Campania

ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF ANCIENT ITALY

WEEK FOUR Jan 26, 2012Etruscans and Samnites in Campania

Iron Age Fossa Culture

San Valentino Torioca. 7 miles NE of Pompeii

Plan of Tomb 180 Plan of Tomb 178

Biconical Vases with helmets of impasto

Pontecagnano (Salerno)

ca. 9th century BC

Hut urn from Tomb 2500Pontecagnano (Salerno) 9th c BC

Tomb 3224 c. 9th century BCE


Tomb 3212, Pontecagnano c. 9th century BCE

Drawing of tomb contents from male

cremation burial (Tomb 3191)


c. 775-750 BCE

Etruscan Tomb 928Pontecagnano (Salerno) 7th c. BCE

Pit lined with travertine slabs surrounded by an enclosure of travertine slabs

Pontecagnano: Etruscan Tomb 928second quarter of the 7th c BCE

• Bronze lebes (deep bowl) w/ ash of deceased

• Silver vessels• Utensils and

ornaments in bronze and iron

• Impasto vessels• cart

Syniokism: the growth and development of some settlements by the absorption of smaller neighboring settlements

Etruscan History in Campania

• Capua: Head of Etruscan Dodecapoli • 504 BCE Etruscan defeated at Battle of

Ariccia: Greeks and Latins vs Etruscans • 474 BCE Etruscan defeat at naval battle at

Cumae: Syracusans and Cumaeans vs Etruscans

• 423 BC becomes a Samnite city

Strabo Geography 5.4.3At first it [Campania] was inhabited by the Opici, and also by the Ausones, later on it was taken by the Sidicini, an Oscan tribe, but the Sidicini were ejected by those from Cumae, and in turn the Cumaeans by the Tyrrheni. For on account of its fertility, they continue, the plain became an object of contention; and the Tyrrheni founded twelve cities in the country and named their capital city "Capua"; but on account of their luxury living they became soft, and consequently, just as they had been made to get out of the country round about the Padus,so now they had to yield this country to the Samnites; and in turn the Samnites were ejected by the Romans.

Samnites in Campania

Dionysus of Halicarnassus 15.3.7: …these men [Campanians = Samnites] themselves did not acquire the land which they formerly occupied [Campania] in a just manner, but after enjoying the hospitality of the Tyrrhenians [Etruscans] who inhabited it, they slew all the men and took over their wives, their homes, their cities, and their land that was so well worth fighting for…

Livy History of Rome 4.37The consuls elected were C. Sempronius Atratinus and Q. Fabius Vibulanus. There is recorded under this year an incident which occurred in a foreign country, but still important enough to be mentioned, namely, the capture of Volturnus, an Etruscan city, now called Capua, by the Samnites. …It was after the Etruscans, weakened by a long war, had granted them a joint occupancy of the city and its territory that they seized it. During a festival, whilst the old inhabitants were overcome with wine and sleep, the new settlers attacked them in the night and massacred them.

Triple-disc breastplate 4th c. BCE Tomb 169 (zone C´) AufidenaSamnium

Distribution of triple-disc breastplates (Burns 2003).

Campanian ware

Crater of the Libation Painter of Capua (Sarno 2000)

Crater of the Libation Painter of Capua (www.sanniti.com)

Libation Painter 4th c BCAXEL GUTTMANN COLLECTION OF ANCIENT ARMS AND ARMOUR

Necropolis of Cimitile-Nola Tomb Weege 30 ca. 330-320 BCE

There were two divisions[of the Samnite Linen Legion]; one had their shields plated with gold, the other with silver. The shield was made straight and broad at the top to cover the chest and shoulders, then became narrower towards the bottom to allow of it being more easily moved about. To protect the front of the body they wore coats of chain armor; the left leg was covered with a greave, and their helmets were plumed to give them the appearance of being taller than they really were. The tunics of the men with gold plated shields wore multi-colored tunics, those with the silver shields had tunics of white linen.

Livy History of Rome 9.40

Gold-plated bronze ‘Samnite’ breastplate from Ksour es-Saf, Tunisia

The Leucani are Samnite in race, but upon mastering the Poseidoniatae and their allies in war they took possession of their cities. At all other times, it is true, their government was democratic, but in times of war they were wont to choose a king from those who held magisterial offices. But now they are Romans.

Strabo Geography 6.1.8

POSEIDONIA/PAESTUM

Painted Tomb 58 from Poseidonia/Paestum

Tomb-paintings from Poseidonia/Paestum, Tomb 12 "Return of the Warrior"

Tomb 4 from necropolis of Vannullo (Poseidonia/Paestum) 4th c BCE "Return of the Warrior"

“Return of the Warrior”

Poseidonia/PaestumTomb 12

c. 375-370 BCE

Poseidonia/Paestum: Tomb 86c. 330-320 BCE

Poseidonia/Paestum:Tomb 86 c. 330-320 BCE“Return of the Warrior”

Poseidonia/Paestum:Tomb 86 c. 330-320 BCE

Rustic Scene: man in cart pulled by mules

Poseidonia/Paestum:Tomb 86 c. 330-320 BCE

Winged female in a two-horse chariot

Poseidonia/Paestum: Tomb 47 c. 350 BCE


Poseidonia/Paestum: Tomb 271 c. 400-375 BCE



Sports: chariot racing



Poseidonia/Paestum: Tomb 10 c. 350 BCE “mourning”

Poseidonia/Paestum: Tomb 10 c. 350 BCE “weaving”

Tomb 58 c 340 BCE

Tomb 58 c 340 BCEsphinx duel, flute player, woman weeping

deceased woman

Paestum

Tomb 1 c 375-350

BCE

Boxers with Flute PlayerTomb 1, Poseidonia c 375-350 BCE

Tomb 1‘Samnite’ Warrior

Hunting Sea Serpent c 375-350 BCE

Poseidonia

‘Samnite’ Warrior Hunting Sea Serpent Poseidonia/Paestum: Tomb 1

c 375-350 BCE

Battle scenes

Poseidonia/Paestum Tomb 218 c. 370-360 BCE

Hunting Deer Scene

Samnites in Campania (and Lucania)

• Local pottery production (Campanian and Lucanian ware)

• New burial customs : Painted-tombs– Return of the Warrior– Mourning, burial scenes of deceased– Sports: chariot racing, boxing– Hunting– Combat

Poseidonia: Tomb 174c 390-380 BCEMale burial

Poseidonia: Tomb 174c. 390-380 BCE

Poseidonia: Tomb 174 Iron Strigil

Poseidonia: Tomb 199 c. 390-380 BCE1: Lucanian Hydra

Female burial

Poseidonia: Tomb 164

c. 380-370 BCEobjects from a

male burial

PaestumTomb 164 c 380-370 BCE

Paestum Tomb 126 c. 420-400 BCE

Documents

Ancient Italy 4.2 Etruscans and Samnites in Campania