Des travaux récents de rénovation dans le palais de l'évêque sur la colline d'Oria ont mis au jour quelques restes d'un imposant édifice d'époque proto-hellénistique, y compris une mosaïque de galets polychromes importés, figurant l'assaut d'un lion à un cerf. Un pavement dont le haut niveau artistique ne trouve aucune comparaison en Italie Méridionale et en Sicile, mais plutôt dans les appareils décoratifs de maisons et des palais grecs du premier hellénisme à Athènes, Erétrie, Corinthe et surtout à Pella en Macédoine. En se fondant sur les parallèles stylistiques et iconographiques, on peut supposer qu'il a été fait dans le dernier tiers du IVe siècle par des artistes grecs, dans le cadre d'un vaste programme de construction intéressant l'acropole de la ville messapienne. Sa présence à Oria peut être rapprochée de ce que nous dit Strabon (6, 3, 6) sur l'existence dans la ville d'un basileion, c'est-à-dire du palais royal, "d'un des anciens dynastes". Tout ceci témoigne probablement d'un rôle important joué par la ville à l'époque de l'expédition en Italie d'Alexandre le Molosse, roi d'Épire, et dans les accords politiques conclus par lui avec les Messapiens.
Recent renovations in the palace of the Bishop, on the hill of Oria have revealed some remains of a magnificent proto-Hellenistic building, including a figured pebble mosaic with the attack a lion to the deer. The mosaic was made with imported materials. Its high style finds comparison only in Greece with the mosaic of the Hellenistic palaces in Athens, Eretria, Corinth and especially in Pella in Macedonia. We can assume that it was done in the last third of the fourth century by Greek artists, as part of an massive building located of the acropolis of the city Messapian. The presence at Oria of a pebble mosaic of an artistic level unparalleled in the Southern Italy, can be compared to what we read in Strabo (6, 3, 6) about the existence in the city of a basileion, that is the royal palace, one of the ancient rulers. All this reflects an important role played by Oria at the time of Italian expedition of Alexander the Molossian, king of Epirus and in the treaties concluded by him with the Messapians.
Le basileion d'Oria? Découvertes récentes sur l'acropole du centre messapien
Maria Teresa Giannotta
2015
Abstract
Recent renovations in the palace of the Bishop, on the hill of Oria have revealed some remains of a magnificent proto-Hellenistic building, including a figured pebble mosaic with the attack a lion to the deer. The mosaic was made with imported materials. Its high style finds comparison only in Greece with the mosaic of the Hellenistic palaces in Athens, Eretria, Corinth and especially in Pella in Macedonia. We can assume that it was done in the last third of the fourth century by Greek artists, as part of an massive building located of the acropolis of the city Messapian. The presence at Oria of a pebble mosaic of an artistic level unparalleled in the Southern Italy, can be compared to what we read in Strabo (6, 3, 6) about the existence in the city of a basileion, that is the royal palace, one of the ancient rulers. All this reflects an important role played by Oria at the time of Italian expedition of Alexander the Molossian, king of Epirus and in the treaties concluded by him with the Messapians.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
