Venusia

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Venusia (modern Venosa) was an ancient city of Basilicata, Italy, on the Via Appia, about 10 km south of the river Aufidus (Ofanto), and not far from the boundary of Lucania. It was supposedly one of many cities founded by the Greek hero Diomedes after the Trojan War. He dedicated Venusia to the goddess Aphrodite, also known as Venus, to appease her after the Trojans were defeated. It was taken by the Romans after the Third Samnite War of 291 BC, and became a colony at once. No fewer than 20,000 men were being sent there, owing to its military importance. Throughout the Hannibalic wars it remained faithful to Rome, and had a further contingent of colonists sent in 200 BC to replace its losses in war.

Some coins of Venusia of this period exist. It took part in the Social War, and was recaptured by Quintus Metellus Pius; it then became a municipium, but in 43 BC its territory was assigned to the veterans of the triumvirs, and it became a colony once more. Horace was born here in 65 BC. It remained an important place under the Empire as a station on the Via Appia, though Theodor Mommsen's description of it as having branch roads to Equus Tuticus and Potentia.

Remains of the ancient city walls and of an amphitheatre still exist, and a number of inscriptions have been found there. Jewish catacombs with inscriptions in Hebrew, Greek and Latin show the importance of the Jewish population here in the 4th and 5th centuries after Christ.

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This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.