Tristan Hughes

Its people built a harbour, taking advantage of the trade routes, and farmed the abundant arable lands on this coastal plain.

Word soon spread, with more settlers arriving at Pestum over the course of the 6th century, keen for a fresh start in this fledgling city.

Early on, Pestum's story was intertwined with Sybaris.

But that all changed at the end of the 6th century, when Sybaris was destroyed.

According to the Greek geographer Strabo, Sybaris had grown into a rich and powerful city, but its people grew arrogant and decadent.

This is where we get the word Sybarite from.

And this led to their swift downfall.

In a war with Croton, a neighbouring Greek city and modern-day Crotone, Sybaris was destroyed.

The armies of Croton diverted the water from the nearby river, flooding Sybaris and forcing its people to flee.

It's likely that many of these Sybarite refugees fled to Pestum.

Pestum had outlived the mother city and its prominence would only increase.

By the middle of the 5th century BC, Pestum had many of the classic hallmarks of an ancient Greek city.

Pestum was not just substantial, it was also incredibly striking, defined by three great temples that dominated the city.

They were built between 550 and 450 BC, all made from local limestone.

One of them was built at the northern end of the city, the Temple of Athena.

The other two are situated in the south, right next to each other.

The first is today known as the Basilica, so called because it was originally thought to be an ancient law court.

But finds have since proven it was a temple to the goddess Hera.

It's the oldest of the three temples, built in the mid-6th century BC, just decades after Pestum was founded.

Next to the basilica, you have the grandest of Pestum's surviving temples, standing more than 10 meters tall.