Agriculture among the ancient Lucanians
Agriculture among the ancient Lucanians
The ancient Lucanians were an ancient Italic population who inhabited the region of Lucania, located in what is now southern Italy. Their historical origin is still a matter of scholarly debate, but the Lucanians are believed to have had Indo-European origins.
According to some theories, the Lucanians may have been part of a migration of Indo-European populations from the Danube region, who moved south and settled in the Italian peninsula during the Bronze Age or the Iron Age. This Indo-European migration would have led to the formation of various Italic populations, including the Lucanians.
Some scholars suggest that the Lucanians had contact with Greek populations who had settled in the coastal colonies of Magna Graecia, such as the Achaean and Doric settlers. These contacts may have influenced the culture and language of the Lucanians, who had a tribal polity and spoke an Osco-Umbrian language, one of the ancient Italic languages.
The ancient Lucanians reached their zenith of power between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, when they founded numerous cities and expanded militarily into the surrounding region. However, during the 3rd century BC, they came under the growing influence of the Roman Republic, which aimed to expand its dominion in southern Italy. In 272 BC, the Lucanians were defeated by the Romans and their land became part of the Roman Republic.
Despite the Roman conquest, some traditions and cultural influences of the Lucanians survived for a certain period, but over the following centuries, their identity merged more and more with that of the other Italic peoples and the Roman populations.
The Lucanians practiced small-scale agriculture, growing mainly grains, including wheat, barley and millet. These crops formed the basis of their diet and were used for the production of flour and bread. In addition to grains, they also grew pulses, such as beans and lentils, and vegetables such as carrots, onions, cabbage, and lettuce.
To work the fields, they used simple agricultural tools, such as hoes, rakes and scythes. Plowing was done with the help of oxen or mules, which pulled the plough. The sowing was done manually, throwing the seeds on the previously prepared earth.
The ancient Lucanians were also skilled in cattle breeding. They kept cows, sheep, goats and pigs, which provided them with meat, milk, skins and wool. Livestock was an important source of livelihood and was integrated with agriculture.
Water was essential for agriculture, and the Lucanians used irrigation systems to ensure adequate water availability for their crops. They built canals and water conduits to carry water from rivers or natural springs to the fields.
The Lucanians have left several artifacts that testify to their presence and their culture. Here are some examples of artifacts from the ancient Lucanians:
– Riace Bronzes: Even if they are not directly related to Lucanian culture, the famous Riace Bronzes are one of the most famous archaeological discoveries in Italy. These two bronze statues depicting warriors, dating back to the 5th century BC, were discovered in 1972 in the sea of Riace, in Calabria, but have been attributed to the Magna Graecia culture, which also influenced the Lucanians.
– Lucan ceramics: The Lucanians produced a variety of ceramics, often decorated with geometric motifs and stylized animals. These ceramics were used for domestic purposes, such as containers for holding food or drink, but some of them were also votive objects.
– Metal objects: The Lucanians were skilled in metalworking, especially bronze and iron. They made items such as weapons, agricultural tools, jewelry and ornaments. These metal artifacts were often decorated with engraved or inlaid designs.
– Coins: The Lucanians minted their own coins, which were mainly of bronze. These coins often had the name of the city of issue engraved, such as Metapontum or Heraclea, together with symbols or images depicting local deities or symbols.
– Funerary stelae: Lucan funerary stelae were stone tombstones that were erected to commemorate the deceased. These stelae often bore the image of the deceased or deities, along with inscriptions providing information about the person’s name and date of death.
These are just a few examples of the artifacts of the ancient Lucanians. The Lucan culture has been the subject of numerous archaeological studies, and many other discoveries have been made over the years, contributing to the understanding of this ancient Italic civilization.
Guido Bissanti