Cumae (redirected from Cumæ)

Cumae (ky`mē), ancient city of Campania, Italy, near Naples. According to Strabo, it was the earliest Greek colony in Italy or Sicily, and it seems to have been founded c.750 B.C. by Chalcis. The area has yielded earlier non-Greek archaeological finds. Cumae founded a number of colonies and grew to be a great power. It repulsed Etruscan and Umbrian attacks, but fell in the late 5th cent. B.C. to the Samnites. Cumae supported Rome in the 2d cent. B.C. and adopted Roman culture; ultimately its inhabitants became Roman citizens. As neighboring cities rose to power, Cumae declined, although it did not disappear until the 13th cent. A.D. There are extensive Greek and Roman ruins, and the cavern where the famed Cumaean Sibyl (the priestess of Apollo mentioned by Vergil) uttered her prophecies may still be seen.

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Cumae

Ancient city west of Naples, Italy. Probably the oldest Greek mainland colony in the West, it was home to the Cumaean Sibyl, whose cavern still exists. Founded c. 750 BC by Greeks from Chalcis, it came to control much of the Campanian plain. Taken by the Samnites in the 5th century BC, it was subjugated by Rome in 338 BC. Under the empire it became a quiet country town. It was destroyed in AD 1205. Remains of fortifications and graves from all these periods have been found throughout the area.

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Cumae 

an ancient Greek colony in Italy, on the coast of Campania. It was founded in the mid-eighth century B.C. by colonists from the island of Euboea. Cumae was the principal center for the diffusion of Greek culture among the Etruscans, Romans, and other Italian nationalities. The city attained considerable prosperity and power in the early fifth century B.C. A famous cave with the oracle of the prophetess Sibyl was located near the city. Conquered by the Romans in 338 B.C., Cumae subsequently received the status of a Roman municipium. During the rule of the Roman Empire, the city declined as a result of the development of the harbor of Puteoli. Under Emperor Augustus’ rule (from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14), Cumae was known as Colonia Julia. It was destroyed in the sixth century A.D. during Byzantium’s wars with the Ostrogoths.

REFERENCE

Gabrici, E. Cuma, vols. 1–2. Rome, 1913–14.