Tristan Hughes

It's a trading ship, full of fancy vases.

The helmsman and his crew had come from Athens.

They were sailing north to trade with the great power that dominated Italy at that time, the Etruscans, who had developed quite a love for Greek art.

Over the past few weeks, they had been sailing around the Italian coastline, passing numerous cities along the way, Tarentum, Croton, Regium, Elea, valued havens in a world where sailing at night was avoided.

Now they could see the next port city on the horizon, situated in a great fertile plain with mountains rising up behind.

Impressive stone walls surround it, and beyond, protruding above this defence, the tops of the great monuments that define this city were visible.

Two large temples side by side, one bigger and grander than the other, shouting out a clear message, Greeks live here.

A warm bed, wine and music awaited the helmsman that night, familiar Greek comforts in a foreign land.

He thanked Poseidon for the ship's safe journey so far.

He vowed to make an offering to the terrifying deity as soon as he landed, lest his luck change.

It was the least he could do.

He was entering the god's namesake city, after all.

Hello and welcome to a very special episode of The Ancients.

Now, last year I had the privilege of visiting what I will unashamedly say is my favourite ancient site in Italy.

Not Pompeii, not the Colosseum, but Pestum.

Home to some of the best surviving ancient Greek temples outside of Greece and so much more.

Why is it my favourite site?

Well, I love the story of the ancient Greeks who went west and settled in southern Italy and the interactions they had with various Italian peoples, including the Romans.

Sometimes peaceful, sometimes not.

We were there at Pestum to create a documentary all about this ancient city, A Tale of Three Cities, which you can go and watch now on History Hit.