The story of the Gulf of poets from the Romans to the present day.

Cicerone said “Historia magistra vitae” : a reminder to know trough a thing with the place you are visiting.
Starting from the beginnings, La Spezia's foundation is connected with the Roman colonization.
We have a lot of historical evidence about the Roman paths: the Luni centre, the anaphora of wine found trough the Gulf, especially in the Marola area, the Roman villas at the Varignano and at the Muggiano - they way to Porto Venere, which was for sure an important Roman establishment - and various pieces and ceramics also in Bocca di Magra territory.
Luni was an ancient Roman city , founded in 177 A.C. . It is currently located between Liguria and Tuscany, it was a big maritime city that became important for its port.
From there ships was used to leave full of marble from Alpi Apuane, wood from the forest around the Magra river, cheese and local wines which are documented by ancients authors as Marziale and Plinio.
The first one says: “The cheese signed with the mark of the moon will offer innumerable breakfasts to your children” , the second one praises Lunigiana's wine : “Luni's wine is the best among those ones from the Etruria.”

In the August age ( 27 A.C. - 14 D.C .) Luni reached the top of his beauty til the Giulio-Claudia era ( 27 A.C. - 68 D.C. ) , during which it became a monumental city thanks to his marble mining.
Romans in the area were hand workers of marble, the material provided the majors public works.
In the V century , Luni has been choosen as bishops houese location, thus Pape Eutichiano was born there.
Nowadays you can visit the ruins of the Dea Luna's temple , from the Imperial ages as we can see by marble decorations .
From the religion paint of view it was the god's abode - to which devotes were used to give offers - but it was also used for political sessions.
The amphitheatre was very important, it is still almost completely intact. The Domus Romane , decorated with frescos , place of residence , the foro , politic and commercial centre of the city and various evidences at territory.

If you want to discover yourself as an Archeologist expert, you have to stop by Porto Venere , the ancient Port of Veneris .
The village was inhabited by fishermen but we also have some informations about a Roman establishment thanks to many walling.
The name of Porto Venere comes from a temple dedicated to the Venere Ericina goddess, it was situated in the same place where now the San Pietro's church rises - dominating the sea.
The legend says that the goddess was born from the sea , which is why the village is beyond words beautiful!
The Varignano Villa is pretty close to Porto Venere, in the area of Le Grazie. Dated on the I century B.C., it was connected to the production of olive oil, and then it became the Dominu's residence until the VI century.
Today the place is the headquarter of the same archaeological museum .

And this is only one of the many discoveries you can find in the Gulf of Poets.

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La Spezia �caput mundi�

The way through the Roman paths

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