Stabiae: Difference between revisions

The settlement at Stabiae arose from as early as the 7th century BC due to the favourable climate and its strategic and commercial significance as evocatively documented by materials found in the vast [[necropolis]] discovered in 1957 on via Madonna delle Grazie, situated between [[Gragnano]] and [[Santa Maria la Carità]]. The necropolis of over 300 tombs containing imported pottery of Corinthian, Etruscan, [[Chalcidians|Chalcidian]] and [[Attica|Attic]] origin clearly shows that the town had major commercial contacts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione.jsp?titolo=%E2%80%9CIn+Search+of+Stabiae%E2%80%9D&idSezione=7766 |title=Homepage – Pompeii Sites Portale Ufficiale Parco Archeologico di Pompei |access-date=17 October 2018 |archive-date=17 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017163116/http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione.jsp?titolo=%E2%80%9CIn+Search+of+Stabiae%E2%80%9D&idSezione=7766 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The necropolis, covering an area of {{cvt|15000|m2}}, was used from the 7th to the end of the 3rd century BC and shows the complex population changes with the arrival of new peoples, such as the [[Etruscans]], which opened up new contacts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pompeiisites.org/Sezione.jsp?titolo=History+of+Stabiae&idSezione=3386 |title=Homepage – Pompeii Sites Portale Ufficiale Parco Archeologico di Pompei|date=9 March 2024 }}</ref>

 

 

With the arrival of the Samnites the city suffered a sudden social and economic slowdown in favour of the development of nearby Pompeii, as shown by the almost total absence of burials: however, when the influence of the Samnites became more marked in the middle of the 4th century BC Stabiae began a slow recovery,<ref>Giovanna Bonifacio and Anna Maria Sodo, Stabia: history and architecture: p. 13. 250th anniversary of the Stabiae excavations 1749–1999, Rome, The Hermes of Bretschneider, 2004, {{ISBN|978-88-826-5201-2}} .</ref> so much so that it was necessary to build two new necropoles, one discovered in 1932 near the [[Mediaeval]] Castle, the other in Scanzano. A sanctuary, probably dedicated to Athena, was built in the locality of Privati.<ref>Giovanna Bonifacio, Anna Maria Sodo and Gina Carla Ascione, In Stabiano – Culture and Archeology from Stabiae , Castellammare di Stabia, p. 16. Longobardi Editore, 2006, {{ISBN|88-8090-126-5}}</ref>

==Archaeology==

[[File:Plan Stabiae.jpg|thumb|400px|Plan of part of the town of Stabiae, (Villa San Marco top right)]]

 

The archaeological remains at Stabiae were originally discovered in 1749 by Cavaliere [[Roque Joaquín de Alcubierre]], an engineer working for king [[Charles III of Spain|Charles VII of Naples]].<ref name="Parslow">

 

==Villas==

Among the many villas found at Stabiae are firstly large leisure villas (''villa [[otium]]'') without agricultural buildings such as:

* Villa San Marco

 

The "Tuscan" ''atrium'', dating back to the late Republican age, is paved with white-black mosaic and has wall frescoes, often female figures and [[palmette]]s on a black and red background attributable to the ''[[Pompeian Styles|third style]]''. At the centre of the atrium is an ''[[impluvium]]'' while all around are numerous rooms: two of these, placed at the ends of the entrance of the ''atrium'', preserve decorations that imitate architectures such as [[Ionic columns]] that support the [[coffer]]ed ceiling belonging to the ''[[Pompeian Styles|second style]]''.

 

In the other rooms the most important frescoes of all of Stabiae were found, all removed in the Bourbon era and preserved in the National Archaeology Museum of Naples. They include the [[Flora]] or ''Primavera'' found in 1759; it has a size of only 38x22 cm and dates to the first century BC: the fresco represents the Greek [[Flora (mythology)|nymph Flora]], understood by the Romans as the goddess of Spring, turning round in the act of collecting a flower, an allegory of purity, all on a pale-green background; Flora is certainly the best known work of Stabiae, so much so that it has become its symbol, not only in Italy, but also abroad.

 

===Temples===

 

The almost total absence of [[temple]]s in the central Stabiae area suggests that these were most likely razed to the ground during the occupation of [[Sulla]]: however, some remains suggest the presence of various sacred structures such as a temple dedicated to [[Hercules]], [[Diana (mythology)|Diana]], [[Athena]], [[Cybele]] and most importantly the Genius Stabianum.

==See also==

*[[Aeclanum]]

 

==References==