Neapolis, Sardinia
Encyclopedia
Neapolis meaning "New City", was an ancient city of Sardinia
, and apparently one of the most considerable places on that island. It was situated on the west coast, at the southern extremity of the Gulf of Oristano
, at the present-day località
of Santa Maria di Nabui, in the comune
of Guspini
, Province of Medio Campidano
.
The Itineraries
place Neapolis 60 miles from Sulci
(in modern Sant'Antioco
), and 18 from Othoca (modern Santa Giusta
near Oristano
). (Itin. Ant. p. 84.) The name would clearly seem to point to a Greek
origin, but we have no account of its foundation or history. It is noticed by Pliny
as one of the most important towns in Sardinia; and its name is found also in Ptolemy
and the Itineraries. (Plin. iii. 7. s. 13; Ptol. iii. 3. § 2; Itin. Ant. l. c.; Tab. Peut.
; Geogr. Rav.
v. 26.) Its ruins are still visible at the mouth of the river Pabillonis, where that stream forms a great estuary or lagoon, called the Stagno di Marceddi, and present considerable remains of ancient buildings as well as the vestiges of a Roman road and aqueduct. The spot is marked by an ancient church called Santa Maria di Nabui. (De la Marmora, Voy. en Sardaigne, vol. ii. p. 357.)
The Aquae Neapolitanae
mentioned by Ptolemy as well as in the Itinerary, which places them at a considerable distance inland, on the road from Othoca to Caralis (modern Cagliari
), are certainly the mineral sources now known as the Bagni di Sardara, on the high road from Cagliari to Oristano. (Itin. Ant. p. 82; Ptol. iii. 3. § 7; Geogr. Rav. v. 26; De la Marmora, l. c. p. 406.)
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, and apparently one of the most considerable places on that island. It was situated on the west coast, at the southern extremity of the Gulf of Oristano
Gulf of Oristano
The Gulf of Oristano is a gulf in the Sardinian Sea, near Oristano, in the western Sardinian coast.It is limited from north by the Cape San Marco, in the Sinis peninsula, and from the south by Cape Frasca. It faces the provinces of Oristano and Medio Campidano...
, at the present-day località
Località
A località, in Italy, is the name given to inhabited places that are not accorded a more significant distinction in administrative law such as a frazione, comune, municipio, circoscrizione, or quartiere. The word is cognate to English locality...
of Santa Maria di Nabui, in the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Guspini
Guspini
Guspini is a town and comune of about 13,000 inhabitants in west Sardinia , in the province of Medio Campidano. It is 62 km away from the capital Cagliari and 14.6 km from the railway station at San Gavino Monreale....
, Province of Medio Campidano
Province of Medio Campidano
Medio Campidano is a province in the autonomous region of Sardinia, Italy.It was created in 2005 from part of the province of Cagliari. It contains 28 communities, the largest of which by population are :-Politics:...
.
The Itineraries
Antonine Itinerary
The Antonine Itinerary is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing directions how to get from one Roman settlement to another...
place Neapolis 60 miles from Sulci
Sulci
This article refers to Sulci the city. For the anatomical feature, see Sulcus .Sulci |Paus.]]), was one of the most considerable cities of ancient Sardinia, situated in the southwest corner of the island, on a small island, now called Isola di Sant'Antioco, which is, however, joined to the mainland...
(in modern Sant'Antioco
Sant'Antioco
Sant'Antioco is the name of both an island and a municipality in southwestern Sardinia, in the Province of Carbonia-Iglesias, in Sulcis zone. With a population of 11,730, the municipality of Sant'Antioco it is the island's largest community...
), and 18 from Othoca (modern Santa Giusta
Santa Giusta
Santa Giusta is a comune in the Province of Oristano in the Italian region of Sardinia, located about 90 km northwest of Cagliari and about 3 km southeast of Oristano in the Campidano area...
near Oristano
Oristano
Oristano is a town and comune, capital of the Province of Oristano, on the island of Sardinia, Italy. It has approximately 32,500 inhabitants.Its economy is mainly based on fishing, agriculture and, to a certain extent, tourism.-History:...
). (Itin. Ant. p. 84.) The name would clearly seem to point to a Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
origin, but we have no account of its foundation or history. It is noticed by Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
as one of the most important towns in Sardinia; and its name is found also in Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
and the Itineraries. (Plin. iii. 7. s. 13; Ptol. iii. 3. § 2; Itin. Ant. l. c.; Tab. Peut.
Tabula Peutingeriana
The Tabula Peutingeriana is an itinerarium showing the cursus publicus, the road network in the Roman Empire. The original map of which this is a unique copy was last revised in the fourth or early fifth century. It covers Europe, parts of Asia and North Africa...
; Geogr. Rav.
Ravenna Cosmography
The Ravenna Cosmography was compiled by an anonymous cleric in Ravenna around AD 700. It consists of a list of place-names covering the world from India to Ireland. Textual evidence indicates that the author frequently used maps as his source....
v. 26.) Its ruins are still visible at the mouth of the river Pabillonis, where that stream forms a great estuary or lagoon, called the Stagno di Marceddi, and present considerable remains of ancient buildings as well as the vestiges of a Roman road and aqueduct. The spot is marked by an ancient church called Santa Maria di Nabui. (De la Marmora, Voy. en Sardaigne, vol. ii. p. 357.)
The Aquae Neapolitanae
Aquae Neapolitanae
The Aquae Neapolitanae or Aquae Calidae Neapolitanorum are springs and their adjoining population nucleus mentioned by Ptolemy as well as in the Antonine Itinerary, which places them at a considerable distance inland from Neapolis, on the road from Othoca to Caralis , Sardinia, Italy...
mentioned by Ptolemy as well as in the Itinerary, which places them at a considerable distance inland, on the road from Othoca to Caralis (modern Cagliari
Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
), are certainly the mineral sources now known as the Bagni di Sardara, on the high road from Cagliari to Oristano. (Itin. Ant. p. 82; Ptol. iii. 3. § 7; Geogr. Rav. v. 26; De la Marmora, l. c. p. 406.)