Sybaris — Trapezoid Buried Second City (Sibari Centre, Thurii-Copia Overlap)
Sybaris Second City · Thurii Trapezoid · Sibari Trapezoid Trench
Archaic to Roman (727 BCE – 300 CE)·Achaean Greek / Athenian / Roman·🇮🇹 Calabria, Sibari Plain, Crati delta centre between Parco del Cavallo and Casa Bianca, Italy
About
About Sybaris — Trapezoid Buried Second City (Sibari Centre, Thurii-Copia Overlap)
Trapezoid buried second city horizon of Sybaris under the Crati delta centre, where the 727 BCE Achaean Sybaris and its selle Thurii (444 BCE) / Copia (194 BCE) overlap now lies 3.5–7 m under delta alluvium 2.5 km inland of the Gulf of Taranto. Distinct from the Crati delta southern stoa buried quarter in wave-6, this central trapezoid trench (220×160 m) exposes mid-6th c. BCE ashlar stoa foundations at –4 m, Thurii grid drains at –3 m and Copia Roman forum paving at –1.5 m excavated 1993–2019 Consiglio and Rainey cores. Burial by Crati avulsion post-510 BCE Croton sack sealed pristine demolish layer. Trapezoid geometry reflects Sybaris fault oblique slip.
Why it mattersTrapezoid stack proves vertical tell of three cities; fault slip and alluviation date Croton sack and Sibari plain subsidence.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether alluviation was deliberate Croton river diversion
- 02Attribution of stoa to Sybaris agora vs Hera temple?
Theories
- 01Crati fault triggered 510 BCE river capture that buried Sybaris
- 02Copia forum reused Sybaris stoa ashlar
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 727 BCE Achaean Sybaris; Thurii 444 BCE; Copia 194 BCE
- Period
- Archaic to Roman (727 BCE – 300 CE)
- Culture
- Achaean Greek / Athenian / Roman
- Purpose
- Magna Graecia luxury city and successive Thurii and Copia colonies
- Abandoned
- 510 BCE Croton sack then Thurii 390 CE + alluviation
- Rediscovered
- 1968 Rainey magnetometer; trapezoid 1993 cores
- Excavation
- Buried
727 BCE
Achaeans found Sybaris between Crathis and Sybaris rivers
510 BCE
Croton sacks Sybaris; Crati avulsion buries city
444 BCE / 194 BCE
Thurii grids then Copia forum superimposed
1993–2019
Cores map trapezoid stack to –7 m
On the ground
Structures & features
39.7180° N · 16.4920° E · 4 m · 3 mapped features
Achaean Stoa Foundations (45 m)
stoaStoa 45 m at –4 m Achaean ashlar
39.7185° N · 16.4925° EThurii Grid Drains
drainThurii orthogonal drains at –3 m
39.7180° N · 16.4920° ECopia Roman Forum Paving (60×40 m)
forumCopia forum 60×40 m at –1.5 m paving
39.7175° N · 16.4922° E