paestum, Italy March 4, 2011

Greek Ruins of Paestum

side of temple

One of the two large Greek Temples

Roman road

fabulous temple 

temple with view of the lovely campagna countryside

we had the place to ourselves

really, really pretty setting

famous "truffatore"  (diver) greek fresco (C 480 B.C.) Not supposed to symbolize a person diving but diving from one world to the next. in wonderfully restored museum

museum had great treasures and had a huge room filled with painted tomb slabs from the surrounding area. these were neither greek nor roman but from the  Lucanians (4th century b.c.) must have been 30 or more of them.


Paestum goes back to the  6th century b.c founded by the Greeks, then into the hands of the Lucanians followed by the Romans (273 b.c).  It was destroyed by the saracens (877a.d) and was buried. Was rediscovered in the 18th century. The ruins are in great shape and the temples of hera and neptune are so huge and beautiful. Columns are enormous in diameter and extremely high.  We took local train from salerno to paestum,  in the early afternoon, was an easy (but very crowded) train ride and you are left off about a half-mile from the entrance.  We toured the site and museum and the rains came (and never stopped!) only when we were walking back to the station