Vasto

Vasto, in Greek "?στ?νιον", in Latin "Histonium", "Istonium" and "Histonios" has also formerly been called "Guastaymonis", "Il Vasto" and "Il Vasto d'Ammone". This charming town on the Adriatic coast is in the Province of Chieti, which is in the southern part of the region of Abruzzo, Italy. The population is approximately 35,000.

History

According to tradition, the town was founded by Diomedes, a Greek hero. The earliest archaeological remains date back to 1300 BC and there is evidence of these first settlements.

Histonium was one of the chief towns of the Frentani, one of several pre-Roman tribes, whiich lived in Abruzzo. It is situated on the coast of the Adriatic, about 9 km south of the headland called Punta Penna and is recorded in the Liber Coloniarum as becoming a colony, apparently under Julius Caesar. It did not, however, obtain the rank of "colonia", but continued to bear the title of "municipium", as we learn from inscriptions. The same aources prove that under the Roman Empire it must have been a rich, flourishing town; and this is further attested to by the existing remains, which include the vestiges of a theatre, baths, and other public buildings, besides numerous mosaics, statues, and columns of granite or marble. There seems to be no doubt that it was the capital city of the Frentani at the time.

Among the numerous inscriptions which have been found there, one of the most curious records a youth named L. Valerius Pudens who, at thirteen years of age, carried away the prize for Latin poetry in the contests held at Rome in the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. The name of Histonium is still found in fourth century documents, and it probably never completely ceased to exist on its present site, though it was sacked by the Goths, the Lombards, the Franks, and the Arabs. Some writers referred to Histonium - there is the strange passage by Strabo, in which he refers to a place called "Ortonium" in his manuscripts, describing it as "the refuge of pirates of a very wild and uncivilised character". The passage is inappropriate for both Histonium and Ortona, both of which might suggest themselves and Kramer is disposed to reject it altogether as spurious.

Punta Penna harbour and lighthouse.

Histonium has no natural port, but it is not improbable that in the days of its prosperity it had a dependent port at Punta Penna, where there is good anchorage and where Roman remains have also been found which some have suggested might have been those of Buca.