18(3 Route 17. ROSARNO. From Naples
the steamers from Naples touch. A bridle-path, frequently in a
bad state, leads hence by the coast to Tropea, an episcopal
town beautifully situated on the coast, in the vicinity of Capo
Vaticano, whence Stromboli and the Lipari Islands (R. 37) may
be visited
The road proceeds, running parallel with the coast, to the
elevated
Monteleone, 42 M. from Tiriolo, with an ancient castle erected
by Frederick II. , principal town of the district, much damaged
by the earthquake of 1783. A road leading N. to the coast (2 M.)
passes through the village of Bivona , on the site of the ancient
Hipponium, subsequently the Roman colony Vibo Valentia, de¬
stroyed by the Saracens in 983. The road now traverses a hilly
district to the (9!/-2 M-) venerable episcopal town of Mileto, once
the favourite residence of Count Roger of Sicily, whose son king
Roger was born here. The ruins of the abbey of <S. Trinita founded
by him are still seen, where his remains and those of his first
wife Eremberga formerly reposed in two sarcophagi, now in the
museum at Naples.
The mountains of Sicily, especially the summit of JEtna, bound
the horizon.
From Mileto a mountain-path leads E. to the (5 hrs.) grand ruins of
the once celebrated monastery of Santo Stefano del Bosco, situated in a
lonely valley at the foot of the Apennines. Near the village of Soriano,
in the vicinity, are the extensive ruins of the Dominican monastery of
S. Domenico Soriano, also destroyed by the earthquake of 1783: and, on
the farther side of the low ridge of Monte Astore, the remains of the Cer-
tosa, in which in 1093 St. Bruno established his austere order of Carthu¬
sians and where in 1101 he died and was interred.
From Mileto the road gradually descends from the heights
which bound the bay of Gioja on the N. and at (9'/-_> M.) Rosarno
enters the province of Calabria Ultra I. The picturesquely situated
town was destroyed by the earthquake of 1783, which in many
places left yawning chasms and openings. The plain is then tra¬
versed to Gioja, on the coast to the r., a desolate looking place,
the most extensive depot of oil in Lower Italy. On account of
the prevalence of malaria here, the workmen always spend the
night at Palmi. The Marro is then crossed, a river celebrated for
its fish, the ancient Metaurus, in the seven streams of which
Orestes, persecuted by the Furies, is said to have washed away
the pollution of his matricide. The seven streams may still be
recognised in the vicinity of Oppido, on the W. slope of the
Aspromonte, which is believed to occupy the site of the ancient
Mamertum. The effects of the earthquake of 1783 were especially
violent in this neighbourhood. The earth opened in many places,
swallowing up houses and filling up several valleys.
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