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Plain, mountains, sky and sea have attracted
populations coming from far ways for
millenniums. According to the Greek
mythology, Giasone and the Argonauti, coming
back from the conquer of the “golden fleece”,
landed at the mouth of the Sele River, where
they built a temple dedicated to Hera
“Argiva” (Heraion).
The area is particularly attractive for the
archaeological patrimony which witness the
numerous civilities of the Neolithic and
modern era; remarkable are the traces of the
Greek-Sybarites, of the Sunnites, of the
Romans (Ovidio Nasone celebrated Paestum for
the beauty of its roses!).
In the late roman period the area became
marshy because of the insane deforestation
of high Sele and thus the population moved
on the Mountain of Carpaccio (Old Carpaccio,
Madonna del Granato Shrine). Carpaccio
turned into a bishop seat for many centuries
starting from 1100 AC. It’s relevant the
tragic conclusion of the conspiracy of the
Cilentani Barons (1244) against the emperor
Federico 2nd.
Paestum, deserted by then, was buried
by vegetation and forgot; it was found out
again only around 1750, and then it became
the aim for intellectuals and poets (like
J.W. Goethe). In the 19th century the zone
was hunting area and the few buildings of
that period were just equipped for this
sport, how you can notice from the ancient
Residenza della Tenuta Lupò.
In the first half of the 900s, Paestum was
reclaimed and given back to agricolture.
There are still buffalos breeding to produce
the typical mozzarella. The American troupes
gave a contribution to the reclaiming
process in occasion of their landing in
Paestum and Salerno in 1943. Since 1960 the
area became very touristy.
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