Gravisca (Cravsca in Etruscan and Graviscae Latin[1]) was the port of the Etruscan city of Tarquinii, situated 8 km west of the city center.[2][3]

Gravisca
Graviscae
The excavations at Gravisca, conducted by the University of Perugia.
Gravisca is located in Lazio
Gravisca
Shown within Lazio
RegionLazio
TypePort, Settlement
History
PeriodsOrientalizing period - Roman empire
CulturesEtruscan
Site notes
Excavation datesyes
ArchaeologistsMario Torelli
Conditionruined
Public accessno

The Etruscan settlement, occupied ca. sixth to third centuries BC, had four principal occupational phases from ca. 600 to 250 B.C.[4] It was superseded by the establishment of a colonia of Roman citizenship at the site in 181 BC.[5] The port functioned as an emporion and there is ample evidence for merchants and perhaps Greek artisans based at the site.[6] The cults of numerous Greek gods, including Aphrodite, Hera,[7] Demeter, and Apollo, are attested.

The port is mentioned by name in book 10, line 23 of the Aeneid.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Mario Torelli et al., “Gravisca,” NSc (1970)
  2. ^ Denise Demetriou (22 November 2012). Negotiating Identity in the Ancient Mediterranean: The Archaic and Classical Greek Multiethnic Emporia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 83–. ISBN 978-1-107-01944-7.
  3. ^ Harris, W. "Places: 413157 (Graviscae)". Pleiades. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  4. ^ "Casa editrice Edipuglia". Archived from the original on 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-05-21. Gravisca. Scavi nel santuario greco
  5. ^ Liv. 40.29.1.1 http://latin.packhum.org/loc/914/1/1526/45-53
  6. ^ Benvenuto Frau (1981). Graviscae: il porto antico di Tarquinia e le sue fortificazioni. Gruppo Archeologico Romano.
  7. ^ Mario Torelli "Il sanctuario di Hera a Gravisca” La Parola del Passato 136 (1971) 44-67.
  8. ^ The Aeneid. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 299.

42°12′46″N 11°42′37″E / 42.21278°N 11.71028°E / 42.21278; 11.71028