Potenza

40.6387515.804194444444Koordinaten: 40 ° 38 ' 20 " N, 15 ° 48' 15" E

Potentia (Latin for " the Mighty " ) is the name of an ancient city in Lucania, in the center of the Basilicata region. Its capital city, Potenza now stands on the ruins of the ancient city. Topographical Potentia is located at the headwaters of the Gulf of Taranto flowing Basento.

History

The Archaeological Museum ( Museo Archeologico Provinciale ) shows findings from the Basilicata region - starting from the Paleolithic through the time of the ancient Greek colonies of the Romans and Carthaginians until the reign of the Byzantines, Saracens and Normans.

The ancient city of Potentia was founded, according to archaeological finds before the 3rd century BC by Greeks or Lucanians. The settlement was within the control of Magna Graecia, Carthage and Rome. A local opponent was the Venusia on the Via Appia 50 km north founded.

In historiography can be found Potentia for the first time in the Roman Prefecture Lists: Potentia, Grumentum and Atena were assigned to the root Pomptinla. With the introduction of Christianity in the Roman Empire was also formed in this city an early Christian community out, which had its own bishop. From this time the remains early Christian mosaic floors found with motifs from the life of important early Christian martyr of the 3rd and 4th century. With the medieval diocese of Potenza, the life stories of Amandus and Gerald Piacenza († 1119 ) are linked, the latter later became known as the patron saint of the city of San Gerardo and the new cathedral.

Since the 5th century, the southern part of the late Roman western empire is overthrown by invading Germanic tribes. Around the year 568 Potentia was conquered by the Lombards and their Duchy of Benevento incorporated. As the last Lombard Graf applies Rainolf, who ruled here until 1066.