Giove Temple – Bacoli | Naples

The oldest Greek Colony

Cuma is the oldest Greek colony in the West. In Greek times Cuma controlled a fairly extensive territory, which included the lakes Averno, Fusaro, Lucrino, Baia, Miseno and part of the territory of the current Licola.
In 421 B.C. Cuma was conquered by the Samnite people, coming from the Campania hinterland, who at the end of the 5th century B.C. went to the coast in search of new lands.
Conquered in 334 B.C. by Rome, in 251 B.C. it obtained the status of municipium. Now deprived of the political prestige and economic power that had characterized it in the Greek era, Cuma represented for the Romans the “learned city”, heir and guardian of traditions and cultural heritage and Greek religion.

The Archaeological Park of Cuma

Of the original settlement, are now visible: the acropolis, religious center of the city, with the remains of the ancient walls, the temple of Apollo and the “temple of Jupiter”, and the lower city with the Forum and its impressive buildings (Capitolium, Baths of the Forum, “Temple with porch”, “Masseria del Gigante”).

The temple of Jupiter is the largest sanctuary of the acropolis, brought to light between 1924 and 1932, has long been attributed without good reason to Jupiter, but likely to be consecrated to Demeter, ancient divinity homeland of the Cumani, in a city particularly venerated.

Birth of the Temple

The construction of the sanctuary dates back to the end of the VI century B.C.; over time it has undergone numerous interventions and transformations, which cannot be reconstructed with precision, but which always respected its original east-west orientation. The remains that can be seen today date back to the Roman and Byzantine periods, when the temple was transformed into a basilica dedicated to St. Maximus the Martyr.

Tickets and hours

sualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

Via Monte di Cuma, 3, Bacoli (NA)
081/5235968