~History~

TARAS - IT'S FOUNDING AND FATE

Taras, later known as Tarentum and presently as Tarento, was a Greek city in southern Italy, located in the region of Calabria on the gulf of Tarento. Throughout history this was a city of great wealth and importance. In the year 708 B.C. Spartan colonists, led by Phalanthus, took over the land and evicted its original inhabitants.

The name Taras was adopted from Greek mythology. In mythology Taras was the offspring of the sea god Poseidon and the Nymph Satyra. According to legend, Taras was sailing off the coast of southern Italy when he was caught in a storm and his ship sank. Taras was saved from drowning by his father Poseidon, who sent a dolphin to his rescue. He climbed on the back of the dolphin and rode it to shore, founding the city of Taras where he landed. According to legend, when Phalanthus chased off the inhabitants of the area many of them were descendants of Taras himself.

After the Spartan settlement, the city's economy began to boom. Taras became a major trade port in Magna Graecia. Taras also had many resources, such as the growing of figs, pears and other fruits, harvesting of mussels, the shells of which were used to make purple dye, fishing, the raising of horses and sheep and it also produced a fair amount of wine.

With economic success and accumulating wealth Taras began to strike an extensive series of coinage. They struck coins in gold, silver and bronze. One might think that a city like Taras, a very rich city, probably struck a wide range of gold coins. However in ancient times silver was a more practical metal for everyday use. Silver was the main metal used for exchange, with bronze coins serving as smaller change. Gold coins usually were only struck in times of trial and tribulation, such as during war to pay foreign mercenaries. Gold was also used for other purposes such as large transactions. The majority of coins struck in Taras were silver didrachms. These were very popular coins, often used as a trade coinage with other cites, and are widely collected today. The didrachm is often called the "Boy on Dolphin” because the reverse of the coins usually have the youthful Taras seated on a dolphin holding a variety of different objects. The obverse of this coin usually has a scene pertaining to a horse and rider. The meaning of the design is uncertain because it varies so greatly. Sometimes the obverse has a warrior wearing a helmet, holding spears and a shield; perhaps this design refers to the Tarentine cavalry. At other times it seems to be a naked jockey, occasionally being crowned by a flying Victory; this design possibly refers to a Tarentine sporting event or festival.

The city continued to flourish until the year 473 B.C. when it suffered a substantial military defeat by the Messapians. This defeat was disastrous to the city's economy and also caused Taras to rework its constitution and establish a democracy. Establishing a democracy eventually enabled the city to regain its former wealth and prosperity, and in time the city exceeded its former achievements.

The city continued to trade and flourish for some time, and began building a rather impressive navy fleet and army, but for some time the city stayed clear of major conflicts. Taras engaged in some conflicts with other cites for possession of new territories and also had some problems with neighboring barbarians. But the greatest struggle was yet to come.

In the year 302 B.C. a fleet often Roman warships anchored just outside the harbor of Taras. This extremely angered the people as this was in direct violation of a treaty which forbad Roman ships in those waters. The Tarentine navy attacked the Roman ships, sinking four of them and capturing one. This act began a war which would last, on and off, for many years and in the year 281 B.C. Taras sought help from king Pyrrhus of Epirus. Pyrrhus, who was a relative of Alexander the Great by marriage, brought with him a large army comprised mainly of Macedonian mercenaries. He also brought with him some twenty elephants, and was the first person to use them in warfare against the Romans. Pyrrhus won many victories over Rome, several of these with very heavy losses and he finally withdrew from the conflict in 274 B.C. Two years after Pyrrhus withdrew from Italy the Romans captured the city of Taras.

Tarentum, as it was now called, remained under Roman control for about sixty years. Although it was now under Roman control it was allowed to strike its own coins until the year 228 B.C. At this time Roman coinage came into use in the city. During the Second Punic War in the year 212 B.C. Hannibal marched on the city of Tarentum to convince the people to defect to his side. Many of the people of the city were in an uproar at the time because the Romans had just executed several Tarentine hostages. When Hannibal arrived outside the city gates he was welcomed by Tarentine rebels. After this, other cities rebelled against Rome, and Metapontum, Thurii, and Heraclea all joined the alliance with Hannibal.

During the time when Taras was occupied by Hannibal the city began to strike its own coins again. The new Tarentine coins were on a different standard than they had previously been. Instead of striking didrachms they struck coins of half the weight, or drachms, hemidrachms, units and half units, as well as several denominations in gold.

Taras remained free from Roman control until 207 B.C. when it was finally retaken by the Romans. Even though Tarentum surrendered and was not taken by force, the Romans sacked the city and sold some thirty thousand of its citizens into slavery. After this Tarentum was a major Roman colony, and continued to be of great importance during the Roman Empire and into the Byzantine period.

Kent Ponterio