Half-Day Trip from Catanzaro: Scolacium Ruins in Roccelletta

Touted as one of the most significant monuments in medieval Calabria, the 12th Century Byzantine Basilica of Santa Maria in Roccelletta is perched amid an olive plantation and beckons to drivers as they pass from Catanzaro on the SS 106.

According to local legend, Ulysses may have founded the land he called Skylletium when he passed through Calabria after the Trojan War. Greek pottery from the area dates back to the 6th Century BC, but the Greeks were later conquered by the Romans-who destroyed the Greek forum and built their city over the remains. Then came the Normans. Then the Byzantines.

Today, there is a sprawling forum, walled theater, amphitheater and museum that houses pottery, artwork, columns and photos of Scolacium’s war-stained past.

In the summer months, the area is a hot spot for concerts, live music and art displays. To reach the ruins of Scolacium in Roccelletta di Borgia, take the SS 106 south from Catanzaro.

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