SOURCE: http://www.googlelittrips.com/ The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem written by Virgil in the late 1st century BC (29–19 BC) that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who traveled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter. The first six of the poem's twelve books tell the story of Aeneas' wanderings from Troy to Italy, and the poem's second half tells of the Trojans' ultimately victorious war upon the Latins, under whose name Aeneas and his Trojan followers are destined to be subsumed.
0: Troy to Antandrus Ver detalle |
1: Antandrus to Thrace Ver detalle |
2: Thrace to Delos Ver detalle |
3: Delos to Crete Ver detalle |
4: Crete to Strophades Ver detalle |
5: Strophades to Zacynthos Ver detalle |
6: Zacynthos Past Ithaca Ver detalle |
7: Past Ithaca to Buthrotum Ver detalle |
8: Buthrotum Past Tarentum Ver detalle |
9: Past Tarentum Near Scylla and Charybdis Ver detalle |
10: Near Sylla and Charybdis to Mount Etna Ver detalle |
11: Mount Etna to Drepanum Ver detalle |
12: From Drepanum to Carthage Ver detalle |
13: From Carthage Back to Drepanum Ver detalle |
14: From Drepanum to Cumae Ver detalle |
15: From Cumae to Caieta's Harbor Ver detalle |
16: Europe Ver detalle |
17: Aeneas' Voyage Ver detalle |
18: Troy Ver detalle |
19: City of Troy Ver detalle |
20: Antandrus Ver detalle |
21: Thrace Ver detalle |
22: Delos Ver detalle |
23: Crete Ver detalle |
24: Strophades Ver detalle |
25: Zacynthos Ver detalle |
26: Ithaca Ver detalle |
27: Buthrotum Ver detalle |
28: Mini-Troy Ver detalle |
29: Gulf of Tarentum Ver detalle |
30: Scylla and Charybdis Ver detalle |
31: Under Mount Etna Ver detalle |
32: Drepanum Ver detalle |
33: Carthage Ver detalle |
34: Carthage Up Close Ver detalle |
35: Cumae Ver detalle |
36: Parco Archeologico Cuma Ver detalle |
37: Caieta's Harbor Ver detalle |
38: Trojan Encampment Ver detalle |
39: Trojan Encampment Closeup Ver detalle |
40: Tuscany Ver detalle |
41: Latium Ver detalle |
42: Latium Close Up Ver detalle |
43: Aeneas' Voyage Ver detalle |
Aeneas' home city, destroyed by the Achean forces in the Trojan War. Note the river Scamander running along the front. Today the ancient site of Troy is an archeolgical dig open to tourists.
Read more about the archeological dig at Troy...History of Troy
Port city from which Aeneas disembarks with his refugees. Later becomes an important strategic goal in the war between Athens and Sparta.
Aeneas goes here believing they will find allies. After finding the Polydorus bush, he wisely leaves fast.
In mythology, Delos was the birthplace of Apollo. Aeneas goes here to get directions from a priest. Today, Delos is filled with amazing ruins.
To see more great photos, click the link below.
Also click on the wiki-ball to the right of the Delos arrow.
Aeneas' refugees spend several months here, playing games and resting. Still very rural today. Check out the photo links surrounding the arrow area.
Ithaca is the homeland of Odysseus. Aeneas' refugees definitly do not stop here. At the time Aeneas passes by, Odysseus is still five or so years away from returning home. It is a very rocky island.
Buthrotum is the only other successful post-Troy settlement. Aeneas describes it as a kind of "mini-Troy."
Click below for a good synopsis of Buthroum's history, along with some cool photos.
The narrow strait where sailors had to choose between Scylla...
...and Charybdis.
Aeneas just avoids them both and goes the other way.
During Aeneas' refugees' rest here, they witness an eruption of Mount Etna...
and Polyphemus the cyclops.
This is the east side of Sicily (on the other side is Drepanum) and Sicily becomes important later as the site of the defeat of the Athenians by the Silicians and Spartans at Syracuse, and still later as the birthplace of Don Vito Corleone.
Anchises burial place; after Carthage, Aeneas men come back and play games in honor of the year anniversary of Anchises death.
Aeneas spends a year here and has a torrid love affair with Dido. Carthage is located in modern-day Tunisia.
As you explore the city, check out the gate to the circular palace. Also check out all the photo links, especially the ones of the Roman baths (banos Romanos) and Tunez-Cartago.
Carthage has a long and complex history regarding Rome. For a quick synopsis of this history, click below.
Painting of Aeneas, Dido, and Ascanius.
Cumae is Aeneas' first major landing on Italian soil. It is from here that Aeneas travels to a crater near Avernus, which was, in reality as well as in Virgil, thought to contain an entrance to the underworld. Historically, Cumae was the first Greek colony on Italy, though in the later wars between Greece and Rome, Cumae sided with the Romans. It declined and finally disappeared as a city in the 12th century, though plenty of ruins are left.
These are the modern ruins of the place of a legendary oracle called the Sibyl, who could supposedly lead people into the underworld through extensive caves. Of course, Virgil has Aeneas do this.
Check out these links for some incredible photos of the oracle complex and attendant caves.
An overview site for tourists.
The Sibyl of Cumae
The caves are located at:
Aeneas lands here and, through the fulfillment of the Harpies' prophecy, knows this is where their settlement will be. he does, however, move across the fields, inland.
This river is the Tiber, near which Aeneas falls asleep and has a dream where he is visited by the river god himself, Tiberius. Taking that god's advice, he builds the encampment here. The fort has three walls, and an open back end protected by the Tiber itself. This area will feature prominently in Books IX and X.
Notice by backing up that Rome, which will be founded 300 years later, is not that far away.
The river god Tiberius.
Aeneas travels here to get reinforcements from the tribe of the Tuscans. The Tuscans and their king, Evander, are simple people. The palace is a small wooden house. This is the setting for most of Book VIII.
The volcano Cacus is in the background. Check the photo links nearby to see some ruins, including an ancient necropolis (city of the dead).
Site of the first treaty between Aeneas and Latinus and of the final battle in Book XII. This was the city of King Latinus, and the people were basically shepherds and farmers. Turnus of the Rutulians takes it over after Latinus, in disgust at having broken the treaty, gives up the rule.