Sulci or Sulki (in Greek , Steph. B., Ptol.; ,

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

; , Paus.), was one of the most considerable cities of ancient

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...

, situated in the southwest corner of the island, on a small island, now called Isola di Sant'Antioco, which is, however, joined to the mainland by a narrow

isthmus An isthmus (; : isthmuses or isthmi) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea count ...

or neck of sand. South of this isthmus, between the island and the mainland, is an extensive bay, now called the Golfo di Palmas, which was known in ancient times as the ''Sulcitanus Portus'' (Ptol.).

Origins

The foundation of Sulci (

Punic The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people who migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' ...

:) is expressly attributed to the

Carthaginians The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people, Semitic people who Phoenician settlement of North Africa, migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Iron ...

(Paus. x. 17. § 9;

Claudian Claudius Claudianus, known in English as Claudian (Greek: Κλαυδιανός; ), was a Latin poet associated with the court of the Roman emperor Honorius at Mediolanum (Milan), and particularly with the general Stilicho. His work, written almo ...

, ''B. Gild.'' 518), and it seems to have become under that people one of the most considerable cities of Sardinia, and one of the chief seats of their power in the island. However, as noted by archaeologists the city was founded by Tyrians during the late 9th century BCE, and most of the inhabitants were probably native Sardinians, it remained independent until Carthage conquered it in the late 6th century BCE Its name was first mentioned in history during the

First Punic War The First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the first of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. For 23 years, in the longest continuous conflict and grea ...

, when the Carthaginian general,

Hannibal Gisco Hannibal Gisco (, ; –258BC) was a Carthaginian military commander in charge of both land armies and naval fleets during the First Punic War against Rome. His efforts proved ultimately unsuccessful and his eventual defeat in battle led to hi ...

, having been defeated in a sea-fight (the

Battle of Sulci The Battle of Sulci was a naval battle fought in 258 BC between the Roman and Carthaginian navies on the coast near the town of Sulci, Sardinia. It was a Roman victory, obtained by consul Gaius Sulpicius Paterculus. The Carthaginian fleet was la ...

, 258 BCE) by Gaius Sulpicius Paterculus, took refuge at Sulci, but was slain in a tumult by his own soldiers ( Zonaras viii. 12).

Caesar's civil war

No other mention of the name occurs in history until the

civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

between

Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey ( ) or Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and statesman who was prominent in the last decades of the Roman Republic. ...

and

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...

. The citizens of Sulci received in their port the fleet of Nasidius, the admiral of Pompey, and furnished Pompey with supplies; for which service they were severely punished by Caesar, on his return from

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, 46 BCE. Caesar imposed on the city a contribution of 100,000

sesterces The ''sestertius'' (: ''sestertii'') or sesterce (: sesterces) was an ancient Roman coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small, silver coin issued only on rare occasions. During the Roman Empire it was a large brass coin. The name ''sester ...

, besides heavily increasing its annual tribute of corn (Hirt. ''B. Aft.'' 98). Notwithstanding this infliction, Sulci seems to have continued under the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

to be one of the most flourishing towns in the island. Strabo and Mela both mention it as if it were the second city in Sardinia; and its municipal rank is attested by inscriptions, as well as by Pliny. (Strab. v. p. 225; Mel. ii. 7. § 19; Plin. iii. 7. s. 13; Ptol. iii. 3. § 3; Inset. ''ap'' De la Marmora, vol. ii. pp. 479, 482.) The Itineraries give a line of road proceeding from Tibula (at the extreme north of Sardinia) direct to Sulci, a sufficient proof of the importance of the latter place. (Itin. Ant. pp. 83, 84.) It was also one of the four chief

episcopal see An episcopal see is the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, making it synonymous with ''diocese'' ...

s into which Sardinia was divided, and seems to have continued to be inhabited through a great part of the Middle Ages, but ceased to exist before the 13th century.

Present day

The remains of the ancient city are distinctly seen a little to the north of the modern town of Sant'Antioco, on the island or peninsula of the same name: and the works of art which have been found there bear testimony to its flourishing condition under the Romans. (De la Marmora, vol. ii. p. 357; Smyth's ''Sardinia'', p. 317.) The name of Sulcis is given at the present day to the whole district of the mainland, immediately opposite to Sant'Antioco, which is one of the most fertile and best cultivated tracts in the whole of Sardinia. The

Sulcitani The Solcitani (also called the Sulcitani), were an ancient people of Sardinia, noted by Ptolemy (III, 3). They dwelt at the extreme south part of the island, immediately south of the Neapolitani and the Valentini (ancient people), Valentini. Their ...

of Ptolemy (iii. 3. § 6) are evidently the inhabitants of this district. The Itineraries mention a town or village of the name of Sulci on the E. coast of Sardinia, which must not be confounded with the more celebrated city of the name. (Itin. Ant. p. 80.) It was probably situated at Girasole (De la Marmora, p. 443) or

Tortolì Tortolì (; or ; ) is a town and ''comune'' in Sardinia, in the Province of Nuoro. Geography Tortolì is situated on the eastern coast of Sardinia. Its port and greatest hamlet is Arbatax, which has also an airport that once connected it to con ...

References

Citations

Bibliography