The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-26
MI ASHINGTON, August 25.-(Spe-
w cial.)-Taranto. the great naval
w base of southern Italy, where

w base Of southern Italy, where
disaster overlook one of that nations
battleships recently, causing the loss of
800 seamen, is the subject of the follow
ing war geography bulletin issued today
by the National Geographic society from
it's Washington headquarters:
with a history dating back to the
eight century before the Christian era
the same century which tradition says
marked the founding of Rome by Romu-
s-Taranto Ghe ancient Tarentum), has
a past of fascinating interest and a pres
ent of great commercial Importance. This
city of $4,000 inhabitants, many Of whom
still retain Greek accent inherited from
the ancient Spartan colonists, clings to
a rocky acropolis which sticks in the
heel of the Italians boot at the point
where it joins the instep.' In ancient
times the rock, which rises from the sea
to a height of more than 80 feet, was a.
peninsula, but Ferdinand 1 of Argon dug
a canal across the isthmus, making an
islet of the town site. On one side is
the Gulf of laramie and on the other
the Mare Piccolo Nittle sea). The en-
the finest in all Italy, is commanded by
two well fortified islands, San Pietro and
San Paolo. The Little sea anchorage
has a depth of SO feet and an area of
more than 5000 acres, affording unlm-
tied accommodations for Italy's Mediter-
ranean fleet, and here the government
docks The arsenal extends for a mile
and a half along the shore of this inner
sea.
Legend relates that Tarentum, or
Taras, was settled by the Parthenians, a
class of Spartans who claimed the rights
of citizenship in the Lacedaemonian cap
ital, but who had not received it, perhaps
on account of stain on their birth. The
town received the name Taras from the
son of Neptune. Almost from it's foun-
dalton the colony flourished, nor was this
surprising for the surrounding land was
immensely fertile, soon becoming famous
tanned wonderful flocks of sheep whose
, wool, according to Horace, was so fine
that it behooved the Tarentines to make
the animals wear coverings to protect
their fleece.
LAS a related industry the fishers of
the town found in the waters of the in
ner sea a peculiar mussel from which
the highly priced purple dye was made.
Thus weaving and dyeing developed hand
in hand increasing the wealth and inn
portance of the colony to such an ex-
tent that by the beginning of the fourth
century B. C. Tarentum was recognized
as the most opulent city of Magma Grae-
ella, as the numerous colonies of southern
Italy and Sicily were known. The gold
coins of this period. considered the most
beautiful ever struck by a Grecian city.
are an index to the wealth and art of this
Respondent community. Prosperity soon
bred shameful wantonness among it's
aristocrats, SO that when a Tarentne
mob attacked Roman fleet at anchor
in it's harbor and the latter city de-
clared war on the southern metropolis
it's citizens were not prepared for the
hardships of battle Pyrrhus, King Of
Epirus, was asked to send aid. He re-
sponded, bringing his we'll trained sol.
diers and score of terror inspiring war
elephants to win those costly successes