Battle of Taranto

The Battle of Tarentum of 209 BC was a battle in the Second Punic War. The Romans, led by Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, recaptured the city of Tarentum that had betrayed them in the first Battle of Tarentum in 212 BC. This time the commander of the city, Carthalo, turned against the Carthaginians, and supported the Romans.

The Principality of Taranto was a state in southern Italy created in 1088 for Bohemond I, eldest son of Robert Guiscard, as part of the peace between him and his younger brother Roger Borsa after a dispute over the succession to the Duchy of Apulia. Taranto became the capital of the principality, which covered almost all of the heel of Apulia. During its subsequent 377 years of history, it was sometimes a powerful and almost independent feudal fief of the Kingdom of Sicily (and later of Naples), sometimes only a title, often given to the heir to the crown or to the husband of a reigning queen. When the House of Anjou was divided, Taranto fell to the house of Durazzo (1394–1463). Ferdinand I of Naples united the Principality of Taranto to the Kingdom of Naples at the death of his wife, Isabella of Clermont. The principality came to an end, but the kings of Naples continued giving the title of Prince of Taranto to their sons, firstly to the future Alfonso II of Naples, eldest son of Isabella.

The province of Taranto (Italian: provincia di Taranto; Tarantino: provìgne de Tarde; Salentino: provincia ti Tàrantu), previously known as the province of the Ionian, is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Taranto. It has an area of 2,437 square kilometres (941 sq mi), and a total population of 581,092 (2017). There are 29 comuni (singular: comune) in the province, all of which are listed at comunes of the Province of Taranto. The coat of arms of the province contains a scorpion, which Pyrrhus is thought to have seen when looking down at Taranto.

The Battle of Tarentum in March 212 BC was a military engagement in the Second Punic War.

The Port of Taranto (Italian: Porto di Taranto) is a port serving Taranto, southeastern Italy. One of the first in Italy for goods traffic, it is located on the northern coast of the gulf and plays an important role commercially and strategically. It has three entrances, two of which are operational. Its management is entrusted to the Port Authority, which is based within the port. Since 2011 the container terminal has been run by the Taranto Container Terminal SpA, which is 60% owned by Hutchison Whampoa and 40% owned by Evergreen Marine Corporation.

Taranto Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale di San Cataldo) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Taranto, Apulia, Italy, dedicated to Saint Catald. It is the archiepiscopal seat of the Archdiocese of Taranto.

The Temple of Poseidon (or the Doric Temple) is a peripteral Doric temple located in the modern piazza Castello in the historic centre of Taranto, Italy. It is the oldest temple in Magna Graecia and the only Greek religious structure still visible in the old town of Taranto. The temple dates to the first quarter of the sixth century BC. It fell into ruin in the Middle Ages and parts of it were reused in the construction of other buildings.

The Castello Aragonese is a fortification in Taranto, Italy. Officially called the Castel San Angelo, it was built on the site of older fortifications dating to Greek occupation in the third and fourth centuries BC. In 1481 the low ground in front of the fortification site was excavated to allow the passage of boats, and to create a moated defensive position. The present fortress was built for the then-king of Naples, Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1496 to reinforce the naturally low-lying link between the old town of Taranto on a peninsula, and the mainland. The seven-towered design is attributed to Francesco di Giorgio Martini of Siena. The fortress repelled an Ottoman attack in 1594, but it quickly lost its military significance with the advent of artillery. It was converted to an artillery platform and many interior spaces were filled in to provide a stable base for the guns. In 1707 under the Habsburgs it was converted to a prison however during the Napoleonic period it reverted to its original function as a military fortress. French generals Thomas-Alexandre Dumas and Jean-Baptiste Felix de Manscourt du Rozoy were the most illustrious prisoners of the castle having been taken prisoner in 1799 by the pro-Bourbon Sanfedismi when their damaged ship sought refuge at Taranto Harbour. At the time, Taranto was part of the Kingdom of Naples.In 1883 the San Angelo tower was demolished to allow construction of the Ponte Girevole, and two others were removed to allow the widening of the canal. Since 1883 the fort has been occupied by the Italian Navy. Beginning in 2003 the Navy began restoration and archeological work on the site, removing plasterwork and investigating fortification work dating back to the Byzantine era. The fort is open for tours.

San Paolo Island, named after Saint Paul, is a small island near Taranto, part of the Cheradi Islands.

The Ponte Girevole is a swing bridge in Taranto, Italy, spanning the navigation canal between Taranto's Mar Grande and the Mar Piccolo. The bridge connects Borgo Antico (Old Town) island to the Borgo Nuovo (new Town) peninsula. The canal was excavated in 1481 as part of the defenses of Taranto. A steel and wood bridge was first built across the canal in 1886. The present steel bridge was built in 1958. Officially titled the Ponte di San Francesco di Paola, the bridge has two swing spans that pivot near the banks of the canal to meet in the middle of the canal. When open, the halves are parallel to the embankment, leaving the width of the canal clear for passage. The bridge is a Taranto landmark.The canal is 400 metres (1,300 ft) long and 73 metres (240 ft) wide. The first bridge was hydraulically operated using water stored in the Castello Aragonese. The 1958 replacement was designed by the National Society of Savigliano and built in the former Tosi shipyard in Taranto. It was inaugurated on 10 March 1958 by Italian president Giovanni Gronchi. The new bridge is electrically operated from control stations on each embankment. The sequence of operation requires the Old Town span to open to 45 degrees first, then the New Town span opens 90 degrees, and finally the Old Town span opens to its full 90 degrees.

Taranto railway station (Italian: Stazione di Taranto) is the main station serving the city and comune of Taranto, in the region of Apulia, southern Italy. Opened in 1868, it forms a junction between three main lines, from Bari, Brindisi and Reggio di Calabria, respectively. It is also a terminus of a secondary line, the Bari–Martina Franca–Taranto railway. The station is currently managed by Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI). However, the commercial area of the passenger building is managed by Centostazioni. The station's main line train services are operated by or on behalf of Trenitalia. Each of these companies is a subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), Italy's state-owned rail company. Regional train services on the Bari–Martina Franca–Taranto railway are operated by Ferrovie del Sud Est (FSE).

The National Archaeological Museum of Taranto (MArTA) is an Italian museum in Taranto, Italy. It exhibits one of the largest collections of artifacts from the Magna Graecia, including the Gold of Taranto. The museum is operated by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities of Italy.