Tauriana or Taureana ( Taurianum in Latin , Ταυρανία in Greek ) was an ancient city located in present Palmi , Reggio Calabria province.
83-408: The city stood 1 km south of the river Metauros (probably Petrace ) on the north-western Tyrrhenian coast and in ancient Greek times marked the border of Rhegion (Reggio Calabria) territory facing that of Locri . Its territory was adjacent to the city of Metauros , founded in the 7th century BC near the mouth of the river of the same name. The river served, among other things, as a division between
166-706: A Hebrew text, a Rashi commentary on the Pentateuch , printed in 1475 in La Giudecca of Reggio, even though scholars consider Rome as the city where Hebrew printing began. The Jewish community of Reggio was also considered to be among the foremost internationally, for the dyeing and the trading of silk : silk woven in Reggio was esteemed and bought by the Spaniards, the Genoese, the Dutch,
249-558: A Christian fleet coming from Pisa sacked the city and massacred all the Saracens to the great jubilation of the local population. In 1060 the Normans , under Robert Guiscard and Roger I of Sicily , captured Reggio but Greek cultural and religious elements persisted until the 17th century. In 1194 Reggio and the whole of southern Italy went to the Hohenstaufen , who held it until 1266. In 1234
332-526: A colony, Pyxous (modern Policastro Bussentino ) in Campania in 471 BC. Hieron I of Syracuse orchestrated Micythus' removal from power in 467 BC, after which Anaxilas' sons ruled on their own until they were deposed in 461 BC. During the Peloponnesian War , Rhegion allied with Athens . An Athenian inscription ( IG I 53) reports a renewal of this alliance in 433 BC. The Athenians supported Rhegion in
415-431: A critical role in the self-healing mechanism. Concrete and, in particular, the hydraulic mortar responsible for its cohesion, was a type of structural ceramic whose utility derived largely from its rheological plasticity in the paste state. The setting and hardening of hydraulic cements derived from hydration of materials and the subsequent chemical and physical interaction of these hydration products. This differed from
498-580: A cultural centre, as is demonstrated by the presence of academies of art, philosophy, and science, such as the Pythagorean School, and also by its well-known poet Ibycus , the historian Ippys , the musicologist Glaucus, and the sculptors Pythagoras and Clearchus . Rhegion made an alliance with the Roman republic in 282 BC, shortly before the Pyrrhic War . The Legio Campana [ de ] , under
581-490: A disastrous earthquake damaged Reggio, all of southern Calabria and Messina . The precious citrus fruit, Bergamot orange , had been cultivated and used in the Reggio area since the 15th century. By 1750 it was being grown intensively in the Rada Giunchi area of Reggio and was the first plantation of its kind in the world. In 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte took Reggio and made the city a Duchy and General Headquarters. After
664-613: A metropolis of the Byzantine possessions in Italy and was also the capital of the Duchy of Calabria several times between 536 and 1060 AD. Following wars between the Lombards and Byzantines in the 6th century, Bruttium was renamed Calabria. As a Byzantine centre of culture, certain monks there undertook scribal work, carrying out the transcription of ancient classical works. Until the 15th century, Reggio
747-545: A partially covered piazza. It houses offices, gyms, craft laboratories, cinema and flexible auditoria. The city's main association football team is Reggina . They play at the Stadio Oreste Granillo and are fierce rivals with neighbours Messina , who are just a twenty-five minutes ferry ride apart from each other. Throughout their histories they have clashed in the Derby dello Stretto ( Strait of Messina Derby). There
830-490: A ratio of 1 part lime to 3 parts pozzolana for mortar used in buildings and a 1:2 ratio for underwater work. The Romans first used hydraulic concrete in coastal underwater structures, probably in the harbours around Baiae before the end of the 2nd century BC. The harbour of Caesarea is an example (22-15 BC) of the use of underwater Roman concrete technology on a large scale, for which enormous quantities of pozzolana were imported from Puteoli . For rebuilding Rome after
913-581: A renewed and stronger identity. The symbol of the Reggio Spring is the Lungomare Falcomatà, the sea-side boulevard named after Italo Falcomatà, the centre-left mayor who initiated the recovery of the town. On 9 October 2012, the Italian government decided to dissolve the city council of Reggio Calabria for infiltration by the 'Ndrangheta. The move came after some councillors were suspected of having ties to
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#1733092424544996-431: A sign of poor aggregation technique, react with water seeping into any cracks. This produces reactive calcium, which allows new calcium carbonate crystals to form and reseal the cracks. These lime clasts have a brittle structure that was most likely created in a "hot-mixing" technique with quicklime rather than traditional slaked lime , causing cracks to preferentially move through the lime clasts, thus potentially playing
1079-537: A spear-bearer on either side of a wounded bear. The scene, dominated by a large tree, is completed by a dog, a feline and a wild boar. The couch is currently on display in the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria. The house was demolished and the materials reused for the construction of the great sanctuary. The construction of this building on the western edge of the Tauriana plateau, unique in
1162-638: A staircase, no longer preserved today, and was probably located on the short north side, a portico of which the walls at foundation level are preserved on three sides. Its construction involved a modification of the previous Brettian settlement as demonstrated, among other things, by the obliteration of the quadrangular canal with the stamps, brought to light a couple of metres west of the temple. Rhegion Reggio di Calabria ( Southern Calabrian : Riggiu ; Calabrian Greek : Ρήγι , romanized : Rìji ), commonly and officially referred to as Reggio Calabria , or simply Reggio by its inhabitants,
1245-651: A war with Locri during the First Sicilian Expedition (427–425 BC). However, when the Athenians launched the much larger Sicilian Expedition of 415–413 BC, Rhegion offered them only limited assistance. During the Third Sicilian War , Rhegion became hostile to Dionysius I of Syracuse . He attacked the city for the first time in 396 BC, but he was rebuffed. Dionysius destroyed the Rhegian navy in 389 BC, besieged
1328-405: Is twinned with: Reggio retains a somewhat rural ambience despite its sizable population. Industry in the city revolves primarily around agriculture and export, fruits, tobacco, briar and the precious essence of the bergamot which is used in perfume production. Reggio is a port city with a sizeable fishing industry. The beaches of the city have become a popular tourist destination . Tourism
1411-696: Is also a major Calabrian derby with Crotone . There is also a second much smaller team HinterReggio Calcio . The members of Parliament representing Reggio Calabria are Federica Dieni ( M5S ) in the Chamber and Marco Siclari ( FI ) in the Senate . Reggio is a road junction on the SS18 Naples -Reggio and on the SS106 Reggio- Taranto roads and also on the A2 Salerno-Reggio motorway . The Tramway of Reggio
1494-437: Is completely out of line with the rest of the town for which there would have been strongly symbolic reason, as the home of a public figure. Further elements set this building, on the edge of the terrace, apart such as large ashlars which gave it an imposing appearance and the wealth of stucco decoration, the painted plaster, the floor mosaics and the particularly fine ornaments. There were at least twenty rooms which gave onto what
1577-810: Is distributed between the Ionian coast (Costa Jonica), the Tyrrhenian coast (the Costa Viola, Purple Coast) and the Aspromonte mountain behind the city, containing the natural reserve of the Aspromonte National Park where, at 1,300–1,950 metres above sea level, there is a panoramic view of the Strait of Messina from the snowy mount Etna to the Aeolian Islands . The new waterfront, designed by architect Zaha Hadid ,
1660-870: Is divided into 15 sub-municipalities ( circoscrizioni ) containing the frazioni ('subdivisions', mainly villages and hamlets) of Catona , Gallico, Archi, Pentimele, Gallina, Mosorrofa ( Greek : Messorofè ), Ortì ( Greek : Orthioi ), Pellaro ( Greek : Pèllaros ) and Saracinello. They are: Centro Storico (1st); Pineta Zerbi, Tremulini and Eremo (2nd); Santa Caterina, San Brunello and Vito (3rd); Trabochetto, Condera and Spirito Santo (4th); Rione Ferrovieri, Stadio and Gebbione (5th); Sbarre (6th); San Giorgio, Modena, Scido and San Sperato (7th); Catona, Salice, Rosalì and Villa San Giuseppe (8th); Gallico and Sambatello (9th); Archi (10th); Ortì, Podàrgoni and Terreti (11th); Cannavò, Mosorrofa and Cataforio (12th); Ravagnese, San Gregorio, Croce Valanidi and Trunca (13th); Gallina (14th); Pellaro and Bocale (15th). Reggio di Calabria
1743-419: Is located on a narrow strait separating Italy from Sicily . The museum (13,400 m ) draws inspiration from the organic form of the starfish, utilizing a radial symmetry to coordinate communication and circulation between different program elements: exhibition spaces, restoration facilities, archive, aquarium and library. A second, multifunctional building (8,000 m ), comprises two separate elements, placed around
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#17330924245441826-472: Is separated from the island of Sicily by the Strait of Messina . It is situated on the slopes of the Aspromonte , a long, craggy mountain range that runs up through the centre of the region. As a major functional pole in the region, it has strong historical, cultural and economic ties with the city of Messina , which lies across the strait in Sicily , forming a metro city of less than 1 million people. Reggio
1909-546: Is still visible today on the sea-front. Due to its seismic activity, the area was often damaged by earthquakes, such as in 91 BC, AD 17, 305 and 374. Numerous occupying armies came to Reggio during the early Middle Ages due to the city's strategic importance. Invasions by the Vandals , the Lombards and the Goths occurred in the 5th–6th centuries. Then, under Byzantine rule, it became
1992-688: Is the largest city in Calabria as well as the seat of the Regional Council of Calabria. It has an estimated population between 150,000 and 200,000 and is the twenty-first most populous city in Italy , after Modena and other Italian cities, and the 100th most populated city in Europe . Reggio Calabria is located near the center of the Mediterranean and is known for its climate, ethnic and cultural diversity. It
2075-463: Is the oldest city in the region, and during ancient times, it was an important and flourishing colony of Magna Graecia . Reggio has a modern urban system, set up after the catastrophic earthquake of 1908 , which destroyed most of the city. Before that seismic event, the region has been subject to several other previous earthquakes. The seismicity is caused by Reggio being on the Eurasian Plate near
2158-460: Is the third economic centre of mainland Southern Italy . About 560,000 people live in the metropolitan area, recognised in 2015 by Italy as a metropolitan city . It holds the record of the worst city in terms of quality of life for environmental and cultural parameters, ranking among the worst Italian cities for quality of life. Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula and
2241-598: Is understood to benefit from a reaction of seawater with a mixture of volcanic ash and quicklime to create a rare crystal called tobermorite , which may resist fracturing. As seawater percolated within the tiny cracks in the Roman concrete, it reacted with phillipsite naturally found in the volcanic rock and created aluminous tobermorite crystals. The result is a candidate for "the most durable building material in human history". In contrast, modern concrete exposed to saltwater deteriorates within decades. The Roman concrete at
2324-599: The Bay of Naples ). The addition of ash prevented cracks from spreading. Recent research has shown that the incorporation of mixtures of different types of lime, forming conglomerate "clasts" allowed the concrete to self-repair cracks. Roman concrete was in widespread use from about 150 BC; some scholars believe it was developed a century before that. It was often used in combination with facings and other supports, and interiors were further decorated by stucco , fresco paintings, or coloured marble. Further innovative developments in
2407-569: The Bronzes of Riace , rare example of Greek bronze sculpture , which became one of the symbols of the city). Reggio is the seat, since 1907, of the Archeological Superintendence of Bruttium and Lucania. The city is home to football club Reggina , that previously played in the Italian top flight . The city centre, consisting primarily of Liberty buildings, has a linear development along
2490-461: The Diocese of Oppido Mamertina . In 1093 it was suppressed, its territory being merged into the Diocese of Mileto . Research conducted since the mid-1990s has exposed a town dating between the second half of the 4th and the 1st century BC with road axes, houses, drainage channels, dolia for foodstuffs. The buildings discovered include: The orientation of the house from the 2nd to the 1st century BC
2573-517: The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . Bruno Antonio Rossi (the mayor of Reggio after the historian Domenico Spanò Bolani, who helped the citizenship during the previous turbulent years) was the first in the kingdom to proclaim the new Garibaldi Dictatorship and the end of the rule of Francis II . On 28 December 1908, at 5:21 am, the town was hit by a heavy earthquake and shook violently for 31 seconds. Damage
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2656-486: The Tomb of Caecilia Metella is another variation higher in potassium that triggered changes that "reinforce interfacial zones and potentially contribute to improved mechanical performance". For an environment as prone to earthquakes as the Italian peninsula , interruptions and internal constructions within walls and domes created discontinuities in the concrete mass. Portions of the building could then shift slightly when there
2739-610: The faultline where it meets the African Plate that runs through the strait, dividing the two European regions of Calabria and Sicily into two different tectonic regions. It is a major economic centre for regional services and transport on the southern shores of the Mediterranean. Reggio, with Naples and Taranto , is home to one of the most important archaeological museums, the prestigious National Archaeological Museum of Magna Græcia , dedicated to Ancient Greece (which houses
2822-480: The fire in 64 AD which destroyed large portions of the city, Nero 's new building code largely called for brick-faced concrete. This appears to have encouraged the development of the brick and concrete industries. Roman concrete, like any concrete , consists of an aggregate and hydraulic mortar , a binder mixed with water that hardens over time. The composition of the aggregate varied, and included pieces of rock, ceramic tile, lime clasts, and brick rubble from
2905-550: The 'Ndrangheta as well as urban decay. The town is home to several 'ndrine , such as the Condello - Imerti and the De Stefano - Tegano clans, who were involved in bloody wars against each other during this period. The 'Ndrangheta extorts protection money ( pizzo ) from every shop and viable business in town and has more power than the city council in awarding licences to retailers. The spiral of corruption reached its zenith in
2988-603: The 10th–11th centuries the city was ruled by the Arabs and, renamed Rivàh (or sometimes Rŷu ), became part of the Emirate of Sicily . During the period of Arab rule various beneficial ideas were introduced into Calabria, such as citrus fruit trees, mulberry trees (used in silk production) and several ways of cooking local vegetables such as aubergines. The Arabs introduced water ices and ice cream and also greatly improved agricultural and hydraulic techniques for irrigation. In 1005,
3071-579: The 1783 earthquake, the English traveller and painter Edward Lear remarked "Reggio is indeed one vast garden, and doubtless one of the loveliest spots to be seen on earth. A half-ruined castle, beautiful in colour and picturesque in form, overlooks all the long city, the wide straits, and snow-topped Mongibello beyond." On 21 August 1860, during the Battaglia di Piazza Duomo [ it ; fr ; ru ] (Cathedral Square Battle), Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered
3154-510: The 2nd century BC when a new city was built on the old walls and with a rectangular street grid delimiting insulae . Later Byzantine Tauriana was destroyed by the Saracens in the middle of the 10th century. Most of the archaeological finds today are in the Archaeological Park of Tauriani [ it ] . From circa 600 (others say the 3rd or 4th century) Taurianum was also
3237-463: The 5th and 6th centuries BC under Anaxilas , who reigned as tyrant from 494 to 476 BC. Anaxilas conquered Zancle (modern Messina ), extending Rhegian control over both shores of the Straits of Messina. He attempted to conquer Locri as well in 477 BC but was rebuffed. When he died in 476 BC, his two sons were too young to rule, so power was held by their regent Micythus . Under his rule, Rhegion founded
3320-759: The English and the Venetians, as it was recognised as the best silk in the Kingdom of Naples. From the early 16th century, the Kingdom of Naples was under the Habsburgs of Spain , who put Reggio under a viceroy from 1504 to 1713. The 16th and 17th centuries were an age of decay due to high Spanish taxes, pestilence, the 1562 earthquake, and the Ottoman Turkish invasions suffered by Reggio between 1534 and 1594. In 1534, facing attack by an Ottoman fleet under Hayreddin Barbarossa ,
3403-1069: The Strutt family and Elizabeth Byron (in 1840), Edward Lear (in 1847), Norman Douglas (in 1911), D. H. Lawrence (in c. 1920) and Eric Whelpton (in 1950s) and the Belgian Jules Destrée (in 1915 and in 1930) visited Reggio. With an exceptionally high population density, Reggio Calabria was cited as having the least green space in a study of 386 European cities. The study reported that green space coverage varied markedly, averaging 18.6 per cent and "ranging from 1.9 (Reggio di Calabria, Italy) to 46 ( Ferrol , Spain) per cent." The study further reported "Per capita green space provision varied by two orders of magnitude, from 3 to 4 m per person in Cádiz, Fuenlabrada and Almería (Spain) and Reggio di Calabria (Italy) to more than 300 m in Liège ( Belgium ), Oulu ( Finland ) and Valenciennes ( France )." Even so, outside of
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3486-502: The University of California Berkeley published an article that described for the first time the mechanism by which the suprastable calcium-aluminium-silicate-hydrate compound binds the material together. During its production, less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere than any modern concrete production process. It is no coincidence that the walls of Roman buildings are thicker than those of modern buildings. However, Roman concrete
3569-469: The architectural and religious context of ancient Calabria, was particularly significant of the new Roman phase. The choice to erect it in the most visible point of the plateau overlooking the coast was not accidental: the temple, close to the northern edge, almost isolated and emerging from the rest of the residential context, would have been immediately visible to anyone sailing from the north. The temple typologically fits Etruscan-Italic type podium temples:
3652-443: The area around Reggio itself, before expanding to cover present-day southern Calabria (later known as Bruttium ), and finally becoming the name of the whole Italian peninsula around the third century BC. Allegedly, the name derives from king Italus , an Oenotrian king of the region. After Cumae , Reggio was one of the first Greek colonies in southern Italy. The colony was settled by the inhabitants of Chalcis in 730 or 743 BC on
3735-581: The area. Other hypotheses link the birth of the city to the second half of the 4th century BC, when groups from Reggio and Locri reached the site conquering nearby cities such as Terina , Hipponion and Petelia . Therefore, in the Hellenistic age there was the conquest of the territory south of the Metauros by the people of Rhegion, specifically the "Taurians", an Italic people . During the 2nd Punic War (218–201 BC) it had rebelled but subsequently returned to
3818-462: The city again in 388 BC and, when it finally fell in 387 BC, destroyed it. His son, Dionysius II refounded the city as 'Phoebeia' in the 360s BC. When he was expelled from Syracuse in 356 BC, he retained control of Phoebeia, but it was captured by Syracusan forces led by Leptines and Callippus in 351 BC. Rhegion then reverted to its original name. Throughout classical antiquity Rhegion remained an important maritime and commercial city as well as
3901-498: The city for 18 months until a new election . According to anti-mafia investigators in 2016, Scopelliti was elected thanks to votes from the 'Ndrangheta. Reggio has been destroyed by earthquakes several times over the centuries, such as in 91 BC, after which the city was reconstructed by order of the Emperor Augustus, followed by another in the year 17 AD; yet another one in 305 AD, and again another in 374. In 1562 one destroyed
3984-594: The city of Messina through a ferryboat line system. Reggio Calabria, served by air from the Reggio Calabria Airport ( IATA : REG , ICAO : LICR ) also known as Aeroporto dello Stretto or Tito Minniti Airport , is located a few kilometres south of Reggio. The airport has been at the center of polemics about its financial loss, risking to be closed. It is currently connected to the airports of Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate . Opus caementicium Roman concrete , also called opus caementicium ,
4067-504: The city's major historical phases: The toponym of the city might derive from an Italic word rec (meaning 'king', cognate with Latin rex ). Ancient Greek and Roman etymologists derived it from the Greek regnynai ( ῥηγνυναι , 'break'), referring to a mythic earthquake in which Sicily was broken off from the Italian mainland. The history of the area before the arrival of the Greeks in
4150-556: The coast with parallel streets, and the promenade is dotted with rare magnolias and exotic palms . Reggio has commonly used popular nicknames: The "city of Bronzes", after the Bronzes of Riace that are testimonials of its Greek origins; the "city of bergamot ", which is exclusively cultivated in the region; and the "city of Fatamorgana ", an optical phenomenon visible in Italy only from the Reggio seaside. During its 3,500-year history Reggio has often been renamed. Each name corresponds with
4233-402: The command of Decius Vibellus, was installed as a garrison but subsequently launched a violent coup and seized control of the city. Roman forces deposed Decius and restored the city's independence in 271 BC. Thereafter, Rhegium was an important ally of Rome, with the status of municipium and socia navalis (naval ally). It retained its Greek customs and language, as well as its mint . It
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#17330924245444316-446: The early 1990s. The sitting mayor at the time, Agatino Licandro [ it ] , made a confession reporting "suitcases coming into city hall stuffed with money but going out empty". As a result of the nationwide corruption scandals most of the city council was arrested. Since the early 1990s, the so-called "Primavera di Reggio" (Reggio Spring)—a spontaneous movement of people and government institutions—encouraged city recovery and
4399-451: The eighth century BC is not reliably known. Mythical accounts record a series of different peoples in the region, including the Osci (sometimes referred to as Opici ), Trojans , Oenotrians , Ligures , Ausones , Mamertines , Taureani , Sicels , Morgetes and Itali . They also claim that the land around Reggio was first known as Saturnia, or Neptunia. The term 'Italia' initially referred to
4482-660: The first Northern European travellers, several famous names such as the Flemish Pieter Bruegel (in c. 1550), the German Johann Hermann von Riedesel [ it ; de ; fr ] (in 1767), the Frenchmen Jean Claude Richard de Saint-Non (in 1778) and Stendhal (in 1817), the British travellers Henry Swinburne (in c. 1775), Richard Keppel Craven (in c. 1820), Craufurd Tait Ramage (in 1828),
4565-408: The former's fall, in 1816, the two ancient Kingdoms of Naples and of Sicily were unified, becoming the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . During the course of the 19th century new public gardens were laid out, the piazzas (or squares) were embellished and cafés and a theatre were opened. On the newly opened sea promenade a Civic Museum was inaugurated. In fact, some 60 years after the devastation caused by
4648-585: The government choice of Catanzaro as capital of the newly instituted Region of Calabria. The revolt was taken over by young neofascists of the Italian Social Movement , backed by the 'Ndrangheta , a Mafia -type criminal organisation based in Calabria. The Reggio Calabria protests were the expression of malcontent about cronyism and the lack of industrial planning. In the 1970s and 1980s, Reggio went through twenty years of increasing organized crime by
4731-465: The high quadrangular podium (approximately 10x20 m) on a 2.25 m foundation was made in opus caementicium . Originally it featured decorations and coverings in local stone, marble and stucco. A brick facing partially covered the elevation, and on a couple of bricks the stamp "(C) Numitori" is still legible, already known in Palmi on bricks found in the past century in the Tauriana area. The access consisted of
4814-507: The material, part of the so-called concrete revolution , contributed to structurally complicated forms. The most prominent example of these is the Pantheon dome, the world's largest and oldest unreinforced concrete dome. Roman concrete differs from modern concrete in that the aggregates often included larger components; hence, it was laid rather than poured. Roman concretes, like any hydraulic concrete, were usually able to set underwater, which
4897-617: The natural, medieval port of the city and brought about the submersion of the Calamizzi promontory, known in ancient times as the Pallantiòn, where, we are told, the first Greek settlers, the Calcidesi, had set foot. The particularly devastating of 1783 and that of 1908, which was the worst natural calamity to take place in Europe in human memory, both profoundly altered the urban aspect of the city, due to
4980-424: The powerful crime syndicate, under the 10-year centre-right rule of Giuseppe Scopelliti, mayor from 2002 to 2010. His successor, the centre-right mayor Demetrio Arena and all 30 city councillors, were sacked to prevent any "mafia contagion" in the local government. It was the first time that the entire government of a provincial capital had been dismissed over suspected links to organized crime. Three commissioners ran
5063-401: The protection of Rome. With the Romanisation of the area following the Social Wars , the Bruttian presence in the territory disappeared and the Taurians, owing to good relationship with the Romans, gained political and administrative autonomy over their territory, losing their subordination to the city of Rhegion. The first settlement was almost completely erased by the subsequent layout in
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#17330924245445146-473: The remains of previously demolished buildings. In Rome, readily available tuff was often used as an aggregate. Gypsum and quicklime were used as binders. Volcanic dusts, called pozzolana or "pit sand", were favoured where they could be obtained. Pozzolana makes the concrete more resistant to salt water than modern-day concrete. Pozzolanic mortar had a high content of alumina and silica . Research in 2023 found that lime clasts, previously considered
5229-432: The see of a Catholic diocese, in the ecclesiastical province of Reggio Calabria . In its territory was born and lived in Saint Fantino the Elder alias the Wonderworker, the oldest saint of Calabria (not be confused with St. Fantinus the Younger). The crypt where his remains were buried, below the 'Temple' of Santo Fantino, is the oldest Catholic place of worship in the region. In 1040 it lost territory to establish
5312-542: The setting of slaked lime mortars , the most common cements of the pre-Roman world. Once set, Roman concrete exhibited little plasticity, although it retained some resistance to tensile stresses. The setting of pozzolanic cements has much in common with setting of their modern counterpart, Portland cement . The high silica composition of Roman pozzolana cements is very close to that of modern cement to which blast furnace slag , fly ash , or silica fume have been added. The strength and longevity of Roman 'marine' concrete
5395-492: The site of the older settlement, Erythra ( Ερυθρά ), meaning 'red'. The legendary founder of the city was King Iocastus, son of Aeolus , who was later said to be buried on the Punta Calamizzi promontory (called "Pallantion") and appeared on the city's coinage. The colony retained the name of "Rhegion" ( Ῥήγιον ). Pseudo-Scylax also writes that it was a Greek city. Rhegion was one of the most important cities in Magna Graecia , reaching great economic and political power during
5478-529: The successive re-building which gave the present-day layout of straight, intersecting roads, planned by Giovanbattista Mori in 1784 and by Pietro de Nava [ it ] in 1911. But some town-planning policies at the time were decided upon with no respect for the architectural history of Reggio, as is shown by the demolition of the remaining Norman part of the Castle, following the last big earthquake in 1923. Although Reggio and Calabria in general were less popular destinations than Sicily or Naples for
5561-506: The town fair was established by decree of King Frederick II . From 1266 it was ruled by the Angevins , under whom life in Calabria deteriorated because of their tendency to accumulate wealth in their capital, Naples, leaving Calabria in the power of local barons. In 1282, during the Sicilian Vespers , Reggio rallied in support of Messina and the other oriental Sicily cities because of the shared history, commercial and cultural interests. From 1147 to 1443 and again from 1465 to 1582, Reggio
5644-460: The townspeople abandoned Reggio. Barbarossa captured eight hundred of those who remained and then burned the town. After Barbary pirates attacked Reggio in 1558, they took most of its inhabitants as slaves to Tripoli . In 1714, southern Italy became once more property of the Austrian Habsburgs, who remained until 1734, when they were replaced by the Bourbons of Spain. Reggio was the capital of Calabria Ulteriore Prima from 1759 to 1860. In 1783,
5727-405: The two cities. The location of the territory was strategic, almost at the entrance to the Messina Strait which favoured maritime trade routes to the Aeolian archipelago and the north-eastern coast of Sicily, whose artistic-commercial links with this territory since the proto-historic age are documented by obsidian and ceramic finds. Some legends tell of an original Achaean Greek colonisation of
5810-510: The urban area, the nearby elevated areas have plenty of green space and extensive forests. This includes the Aspromonte National Park . According to the Köppen climate classification , Reggio Calabria possesses a typical Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ). Its climate has warmer days and cooler nights than Messina which lies on the other side of the strait. Precipitation is another big difference since Messina receives approximately 300 mm (12 in) more. The municipality of Reggio
5893-497: The use of Roman-style concrete in North America. This involves replacing the volcanic ash with coal fly ash that has similar properties. Proponents say that concrete made with fly ash can cost up to 60% less, because it requires less cement. It also has a reduced environmental footprint, due to its lower cooking temperature and much longer lifespan. Usable examples of Roman concrete exposed to harsh marine environments have been found to be 2000 years old with little or no wear. In 2013,
5976-573: The worst on record in modern western European history. During the World War II, due to its strategic military position, it suffered a devastating air raid and was used as the invasion target by the British Eighth Army in 1943, which led to the city's capture. After the war Reggio recovered considerably. During 1970–71 the city was the scene of a popular uprising—known as the Moti di Reggio —against
6059-527: Was a central pivot for both maritime and mainland traffic, reached by the final part of the Via Popilia , which was built in the 2nd century BC and joined the older Via Appia at Capua , south of Rome. Close to Rhegion, on the Straits of Messina, was the busy port of Columna Rhegina. Under the Emperor Augustus , the city was renamed Rhegium Juli in honour of the emperor's adoptive father Julius Caesar and
6142-499: Was even worse in Messina across the Straits. It is estimated that 25,000 people perished in Reggio and 65,000 in Messina. Reggio lost 27% of its inhabitants and Messina lost 42%. Ten minutes after the catastrophic earthquake, those who tried to escape by running towards the open spaces of the coast were engulfed by a 10-metre-high tsunami . Three waves of 6–12 metres swept away the whole waterfront. The 1908 Messina earthquake remains one of
6225-654: Was its gradation in domes. One example is the Pantheon , where the aggregate of the upper dome region consists of alternating layers of light tuff and pumice , giving the concrete a density of 1,350 kilograms per cubic metre (84 lb/cu ft). The foundation of the structure used travertine as an aggregate, having a much higher density of 2,200 kilograms per cubic metre (140 lb/cu ft). Scientific studies of Roman concrete since 2010 have attracted both media and industry attention. Because of its unusual durability, longevity, and lessened environmental footprint, corporations and municipalities are starting to explore
6308-408: Was movement of the earth to accommodate such stresses, enhancing the overall strength of the structure. It was in this sense that bricks and concrete were flexible. It may have been precisely for this reason that, although many buildings sustained serious cracking from a variety of causes, they continue to stand to this day. Another technology used to improve the strength and stability of concrete
6391-663: Was one of the most important Greek-rite Bishoprics in Italy—even today Greek words are used and are recognisable in local speech and Byzantine terms can be found in local liturgy, in religious icons and even in local recipes. During this period, constant migrations of Greeks fleeing the Slavic invasion of Peloponnese, further strengthened the Hellenic element of the city. The Arabs occupied Reggio in 918 and held some of its inhabitants to ransom or kept them prisoners as slaves. For brief periods in
6474-421: Was operative since 1918 until 1937. Tramway line was 5.3 km long, from Sbarre district (southern suburbs) until Annunziata bridge (northern part of town centre) passing by the whole historical centre. It has an important main central railway station , the largest in Calabria, opened in 1866, with ten smaller stations. The Port of Reggio was enlarged after the 1908 earthquake. It is directly connected to
6557-483: Was probably a portico surrounding a courtyard paved with terracotta tiles. The banquet hall at the North end had space for seven couches. One of these was made of bronze and decorated with silver ornaments and precious stones. The floor of the hall was probably decorated with a black and white mosaic. At its centre a splendid hunting scene was laid with minute polychrome tesserae depicting a hunting scene with two knights and
6640-674: Was the capital of the Calabrian Giustizierato . It supported the Aragonese forces against the House of Anjou. In the 14th century it obtained new administrative powers. In 1459, the Aragonese enlarged its medieval castle. Reggio, throughout the Middle Ages, was first an important centre of calligraphy and then of printing after its invention. It boasts the first dated, printed edition of
6723-501: Was the seat of the corrēctor (governor) of "Regio III Lucania et Bruttii" (the southernmost of the eleven regiones into which Italy was divided). In AD 61 the apostle St. Paul passed through Rhegium on his final voyage towards Rome, converting the first local Christians and, according to tradition, laying the foundations of the Christianization of Bruttium. Rhegium boasted in imperial times nine thermal baths, one of which
6806-452: Was used in construction in ancient Rome . Like its modern equivalent , Roman concrete was based on a hydraulic-setting cement added to an aggregate . Many buildings and structures still standing today, such as bridges, reservoirs and aqueducts, were built with this material, which attests to both its versatility and its durability. Its strength was sometimes enhanced by the incorporation of pozzolanic ash where available (particularly in
6889-513: Was useful for bridges and other waterside construction. Vitruvius , writing around 25 BC in his Ten Books on Architecture , distinguished types of materials appropriate for the preparation of lime mortars . For structural mortars, he recommended pozzolana ( pulvis puteolanus in Latin), the volcanic sand from the beds of Pozzuoli , which are brownish-yellow-gray in colour in that area around Naples, and reddish-brown near Rome. Vitruvius specifies
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