Capo Colonna
39.02545217.202187Koordinaten: 39 ° 1 ' 32 " N, 17 ° 12' 8" O
Capo Colonna ( Colonne; ger Cape Colonna ), Cape situated on the east coast of Calabria in Italy, at the same time the most easterly point of Calabria twelve kilometers southeast of Crotone. It is a rocky headland on the coast of Bruttium, west of the entrance to the Gulf Tarentine (now Cape Nao ). The former Greek and Latin name was Lakinion or Lacinium.
Antiquity
Croton and Cape Lakinion. In the year 708 BC ( century BC 8th - 6th ) under the leadership of Myskellos from Rhypai was under the so-called Greek colonization (now Crotone) founded the colony of Croton. Once belonged to the territory of the polis located south of Croton coastline of Capo Colonna, or, as it was then called, the Akron (Cape) Lakinion. At the Cape there was the goddess Juno main sanctuary dedicated to the city, the BC meeting of the Federal Italiote was at the beginning of the 4th century Magna Graecia ( coastal) cities against the Italic peoples of the inland. In the year 378 BC, the tyrant Dionysius I was able to conquer Croton, the sanctuary of Juno was looted, suburb of the Federal Italiote was Taranto. At the end of the Second Punic War ( 218-201 BC) inaugurated the Carthaginian general Hannibal ( 247-183 BC), who recently could only rely on Croton in Italy, in the sanctuary of Hera Laikinia a stele with an action report. This report was the historian Polybius as a source.
The sanctuary on the outermost part of the Capo Colonna enjoyed great fame in ancient times, from the vast sacred precinct is get a little: the enclosing wall is a monumental gateway, the holy road, but the temple can still be seen. In the Middle Ages the promontory was named " Capo delle Colonne " by the ruins of the temple.
Middle Ages
The Battle of Cape Colonna. In the course of the 10th century, the East Frankish - German kings ( Ottonian ) renewed its claim to by Charles the Great established rule in Italy. The acquisition of imperial Italy (951) and Empire ( 962 ) by King Otto I the Great ( 936-973 ) belongs here, as well as the expansion plans of Emperor Otto II ( 973-983 ) in southern Italy. The German rulers held since 980 again in Italy, and the year 981 saw the threat to his southern Italian positions by the Saracens. So it was decided in the course of this year to a military intervention, which was directed against the Saracens and the Byzantine Empire. A to early autumn 981 to datierendes directory of Ironshirts German bishoprics and abbeys occupied the newly coming to the German army reinforcements. The end of 981 the emperor marched to Southern Italy. Taranto was taken ( 982 ), and the German army turned to Calabria. The Empress Theophano († 991 ) remained with her three year old son Otto III. Rossano. Kaiser and troops moved south, where there were constant skirmishes with the Saracens under the Sicilian Emir Abu al -Qasim. Saracen troops and German army stood probably on 13 July 982 at Capo Colonna pitched battle, which initially resulted in a victory of the emperor. Abu al -Qasim fell. But the remaining Saracens formed up soon again and fell upon the unwary Germans ago. Many secular and sacred Large from Germany, including Bishop Henry I of Augsburg ( 972-982 ), fell. Otto II escaped with difficulty to a Byzantine ship. As a result of the defeat broke the imperial position together in southern Italy. The political effectiveness of the returned to Rome Otto initially remained limited. The Emperor was preparing a new campaign, but died on December 7, 983 in Rome of malaria.