SATYRION
(Torre di Saturo) Apulia, Italy,
An ancient city on the Ionian coast ca. 12 km SE of
Tarentum in the territory of Leporano. The site was
associated with the historical problems of the Laconian
colonization of Tarentum. In all the sources, it is always
named before Tarentum itself (Ant. apd.
Strab. 6.278;
Ephor. apd.
Strab. 6.279; Dion. Hal. 19.1.2;
Diod. 8.21）
so that it appears to be the oldest Laconian settlement
in Puglia. This has recently been confirmed by extensive
excavation. It is probable that its name survives from the
Ausonian or pre-Iapygean place-name stratum and pertains to the way station associated with traffic in the late
Mycenean world (14th-12th c.) preceding the Iapygean
or pre-Laconian settlement of the late Bronze Age and of
the Iron Age (11th-8th c.). Somewhat after the middle
of the 8th c., the arrival of the Spartans on Apulian
shores marks the first phase of the Laconian colonization
of Tarentum.
Fruitful excavations conducted on the promontory of
Torre Saturo, between Porto Saturo and Porto Perone,
have brought to light intriguing bits of evidence on the
life led in this region. In the National Museum at Tarentum are displayed rich finds of very early local pottery
associated with imported Mycenean ware, Iapygean geometric ware, articles coming from a votive depository of the 7th-6th c. B.C. and tomb appointments of the 6th-3d c. B.C.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
F. G. Lo Porto, “La stazione protostorica di Porto Perone,”
NSc (1963) 280ff; id., “Satyrion-Scavi e ricerche nel luogo del più antico insediamento
laconico in Puglia”
NSc (1964) 177ff.
F. G. LO PORTO
