Palinurus
Palinurus refers to a cape located in Lucania, in southwest Italy, that extends into the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is steeped in Roman mythology, associated with the tragic fate of Palinurus, the helmsman of Aeneas, who fell overboard and was subsequently murdered by local inhabitants. This narrative is prominently featured in Virgil's "Aeneid," where Aeneas encounters Palinurus' ghost in the underworld and vows to provide him a proper burial. Archaeological findings near the cape, including prehistoric remains and artifacts from the sixth and fifth centuries BC, can be explored in a local antiquarium. Historically, Cape Palinurus has been significant in naval warfare, witnessing two notable events: a disastrous storm during the First Punic War in 253, which ravaged a Roman fleet, and another storm in 36 that impacted Octavian's efforts in his civil conflict against Sextus Pompeius. The rich history and cultural significance of the cape make it an intriguing site for both scholars and visitors interested in ancient Roman history and mythology.
Subject Terms
Palinurus
(Palinuro)
The name of a cape in Lucania (southwest Italy), extending into the Tyrrhenian Sea. In Roman mythology, this was the burial place of Palinurus, the helmsman of Aeneas, who was overcome by the god of sleep and fell overboard, but reached the shore where he was murdered by Lucanians. When Aeneas, according to Virgil's Aeneid, visited the underworld, he met Palinurus' ghost and promised him a proper burial, a promise which he duly carried out. Caves beside the ruined castle of Molpa have yielded prehistoric remains, and the adjacent necropolis has produced finds of the sixth and fifth centuries BC, now preserved in a local antiquarium.
The waters off Cape Palinurus were the scene of two important naval events. In 253, during the First Punic War, the fleet of the two Roman consuls, returning from north Africa, encountered a storm off the cape, and suffered considerable damage; Polybius estimated their losses at a hundred and fifty ships. In 36, during his civil war against Sextus Pompeius, a substantial fleet recently constructed by Octavian (the future Augustus) in the vicinity was wrecked and scattered in the region by a violent sirocco, and shortly afterward another of his flotillas suffered damage from a similar storm, thus briefly delaying his eventual victory.