Ancient Greek city states
Paestum
Paestum is an ancient Greek city located in Italy, in the region called Campania, about 85 km southeast of Naples.
In 1998, the ancient polis of Paestum was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city was settled at the end of the 7th century BC by settlers from the Greek city of Sybaris and was originally called Poseidonia.
Not much is known about the origins of the city. Archaeological excavations suggest that Paestum had close relations with the city of Metapontum. The first written mention of Paestum (Poseidonia) dates back to the late 5th century BC, when the city was conquered by the Lucanians. At the beginning of the 3rd century BC, it sided with King Pyrrhus in the fight against the Romans. After the defeat in 273 BC, the city became a Roman colony and was renamed Paestum.
Important archaeological sites today include the Temple of Hera, the Temple of Apollo, the Temple of Athena, the Amphitheatre and Santa Venera.