Did you know that Livorno was founded by Hercules himself? It is obviously only a legend, but we have a bas-relief of the demigod on a building in “Piazza Cavour”.“Thence pursuing his Journey towards Italy, after having first founded Monaco, called Portus Herculis Modoeciae, he flew Ligur (from whom Liguria took its Name) who rashly ventured to oppose him; he then pass'd into Tuscany, in order to chastise Dercilius and Alerion, Sons of Neptune, who had stolen his Oxen and driven them thithier. This Voyage of Hercules remains in Remembrance by giving Name to two Ports, that of Hercules Labro, now Leghorn, and that of Porto Ercole, now belonging to the King of two Sicilies.”
The above quote is from page 24 of “A description of the first discoveries of the ancient city of Herculaneum...” by Niccolò Marcello Venuti (1700-1755), published in Venice in 1749 and reprinted in London in 1750 by Guglielmo Meyer.
External links: “A description of the first discoveries of the ancient city of Herculaneum”
13 comments:
How wonderful VP. Thanks.
I'm glad it's only a legend; Hercules Labro is harder to say than Livorno. Did they ever find his stolen oxen? :)
So Hercules too was particularly fond of Tuscany, I can well understand that...
God bless you!
Cezar
What a great place to live in! I didn't know. At aprox. 200 km of my town we have Baile Herculane (Herculane Baths), dedicated to Hercules:)
Such an interesting post!
Happy Sunday to you:)
I learn something everytime I read one of your posts.
Leghorn, hmmmmm.
MB
That is absolutely fascinating – and fun!
Well, I know it now! How awesome to have a legend like that! :D
Wow, how cool is that living in an area founded by the world famous Hercules! You are surrounded by so much history and beauty!
Now it isn't a legend anymore.
I had no idea. :-) Do you know how old is the bas-relief?
Go Hercules! :)
Sydney - City and Suburbs
Does this mean you all look like some greek bodybuilders, in Livorno?
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