Cumae is an important part of the history of Magna Graecia: it contributed more than the other colonies to the spread of Greek culture in Italy. The archaeological excavations of Cumae are best known for the fascinating legend about a woman deceived by a god: the Cumaean Sibyl.

The Sibyl was one of the best known and most consulted oracles of the ancient world, whose predictions are described in numerous works by Greek and Latin authors.

The legend of the Cumaean Sibyl

What was the Sibyl like? Imagine a young woman of rare beauty. Beautiful enough to make the god Apollo fall so madly in love with her that he offered her anything as long as she became his priestess. The Sibyl, without much thought, asked for one of the most coveted gifts: immortality.

However, the young woman also forgot to ask not to grow old. So, as the decades passed, her body grew smaller and more worn out, like that of a cicada. She was locked up in a cage inside the god's temple until her body disappeared and only her voice remained.

The voice of Apollo's priestess was consulted by those who wanted to know more about their future, especially young soldiers. When the sibyl was consulted she would say phrases such as - Ibis, redibis non morieris in bello -, which in Latin offers a dual interpretation, depending on how punctuation is used. With the comma before the negation the sibyl's response is positive: - You will go, you will return and you will not die in war -, while with the comma moved after the negation it is the opposite: - You will go, you will not return and you will die in war -.

What is true about the figure of the sibyl

We know that among the ancient Romans, the term sibylline book denoted a collection of oracular texts that, on the occasion of certain prodigies or critical situations of the state, were consulted by a special priestly college to know the will of the gods. Even today we still use the term sibylline to indicate a dubious interpretation, as were sometimes the responses of the Sibyls and oracles.

The myth of the foundation of cuma

According to Strabo, Cumae is the first Greek settlement colony in the West. You have to imagine Greek settlers setting out from distant Chalkida. Leading the boats Megasthenes and Hippocles, protected by the god Apollo. Founding this city in 730 B.C. on a promontory, guided by a dove by day and the sound of bronze cymbals at night.

Archaeological excavations of Cumae

The Sybil's Cave is part of the findings of the archaeological excavations of Cuma.

Thanks mainly to Amedeo Maiuri's excavations, the Temple of Apollo, the Temple of Jupiter and the Crypta and necropolis. Exploration of the lower part began at a later stage.

Excavations began in 1911, returning the remains of the ancient city finally abandoned in 1207, when it was destroyed by Neapolitan armies.

The burial monuments of the necropolis of Cumae cover an area about 3 km long, encompassing tombs dating back to Greek, Samnite and Roman times.

A chance find occurred in 1992, when a temple dedicated to the goddess Isis was discovered during the construction of a pipeline near the beach.

In 1994, thanks to the activation of the Kyme project, the site experienced a rediscovery: the excavation of the tholos tomb was completed, part of the city wall was explored, and investigations continued in the forum area where the discovery of a basilica-shaped building called the Aula Sillana, the podium of a temple, and three seaside villas were found along the coastline.

Most of the recovered artifacts are preserved at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples and the Archaeological Museum of the Phlegraean Fields.

The Greek Cumae

After temporarily occupying the island of Ischia, the Greeks settled in Cumae and placed the acropolis of their city on two terraces and a lower southern spur of the Mount of Cumae, founding the new city on a promontory characterized by steep and craggy walls, optimal for preventing enemy raids. Later, from this first colony departed those who built Palepoli.

Within a few years the colony of Cumae grew rapidly, aided by favorable trade with the peoples of Latium and Campania, and expanded as far as the coast, so much so that it had control over the entire Gulf of Naples such that it was able to create sub-colonies in Baia, Pozzuoli, Naples, Miseno and Capri. However, after that prosperous period the city fell into a deep internal political crisis, which ended with its conquest by the Samnites in 421 BC.

In 338 B.C. it was then occupied by the Romans, who granted it the status of municipium for the subsidy given by the city during the Punic Wars.Roman rule also did not bring many benefits to Cumae, which continued its slow decline, so that between the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. it was reduced to being populated by a small number of inhabitants.

As soon as you pass the access tunnel of the archaeological excavations of Cuma, one is immersed in an ancient and surreal atmosphere where life and death often meet.