NERE´TUM
NERE´TUM or
NERITUM (
Νήρητον, Ptol.: Eth.
Neretinus:
Nardò), a city of the Sallentini, in the ancient Calabria, mentioned both by Ptolemy and Pliny among the inland towns of that people. Its name is also found in the Tabula, which fixes its position 29 M. P. from Manduria on the road to Uxentum (
Ugento), and 20 M. P. from the latter city.
These data enable us to identify it with certainty with the modern town of
Nardò, a considerable place about 9 miles N. of
Gallipoli. It is clear from Pliny that it was a town of municipal rank, and the same thing is confirmed by inscriptions; but there are no ancient remains at
Nardò. (
Plin. Nat. 3.11. s. 16;
Ptol. 3.1.76;
Tab. Peut.; Orell.
Inscr. 3108. Other inscriptions, with the name of MUNIC., NERIT. published by Muratori, vol. ii. pp. 1113, 1120, and by Romanelli, vol. ii. pp. 49, 50, are probably spurious. See Orelli, 138.)
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E.H.B]
