"Ruins of Poseidonia" Top 5 Page for this destination Paestum Favorite Tip by filip007

Favorite thing: The town of Poseidonia (later Paestum) was founded by greek colons around 600 BC. It was part of Magna Graecia, the name given to the greek colonies in southern Italy and Sicily, that prospered for a long time. Renamed Paestum at the time of roman conquest in 273 BC, it was an important port.

It was abandoned in early middle ages, thanks to the combination of loss of population with the wars within the roman empire, epidemies of malaria and Saracens invasions.

Fondest memory: Rediscovered by chance in the end of 18th century, its temples still standing in a beautiful scenery.