| Much of Southern Italy was colonised by | | | | songs, both modern day and traditional, |
| Greeks 2500 years ago, and these areas | | | | e.g. Mari by Neapolitan artist Nino |
| form what we still know today as Magna | | | | D'Angelo. Traditional Southern Italian |
| Grecia (Greater Greece). As a result, | | | | and Greek music both use similar |
| Southern Italy became a centre of Greek | | | | instruments such as the mandolino |
| culture, music, and language for | | | | (similar to the Greek bouzouki) and |
| hundreds of years. Greece has in the | | | | tamburello (tambourine), which is the |
| past also been occupied by Romans and | | | | most important percussion instrument in |
| Italians. To this day, we can see the | | | | Italy's music tradition. The |
| Greek influence in Italy, and Italian | | | | 'tamburello' was originally introduced |
| influence in Greece, through | | | | via Greek influence in South Italy, and |
| architecture, music, food and language. | | | | also through the Arabic influence in |
| Naples, for example, was a city founded | | | | Sicily.The tarantella is a famous |
| by the Greeks, and it's name derives | | | | traditional Southern Italian dance and |
| from the Greek Nea Polis (New City). | | | | is directly related to the ritual of the |
| Naples was also a Greek speaking town | | | | cult of Dionysus (the patron god of |
| until the 9th century BC. It is an | | | | wine) of Ancient Greece. It is named |
| ancient Greek city, with a 'secret | | | | after the tarantula spider. In around |
| abandoned' underground city, where there | | | | the 16th and 17th centuries, people were |
| are many original city walls, and even a | | | | poisoned by deadly tarantula bites from |
| Greek-Roman theatre where the famous | | | | the Lycosa Tarantula, and it was |
| Emperor Nero used to perform opera! The | | | | believed that they could only be cured |
| underground city can be visited on | | | | by frenetic dancing. The dance would |
| guided tours organised by Napoli | | | | start on a regular beat and then |
| Sottoteranea -'Napoli Underground'. In | | | | gradually speed up. The victim works |
| Piazza Bellini in the centre, you can | | | | themselves into a 'trance' and dance in |
| also see some Greek ruins of the | | | | a state of ecstasy so much so until they |
| original city.Agrigento, Sicily, is | | | | were exhausted. Once they reached |
| famous for Valle dei Templi (Valley of | | | | exhaustion and slowed down it would be |
| Temples), one of the most important | | | | taken as a sign that they had been |
| archelogical sites in the world, and is | | | | cured. There is obviously a lot of Greek |
| a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are | | | | influence on the history and music in |
| many Doric Greek temples just outside | | | | the Magnia Grecia areas where Griko and |
| the main centre of Agrigento, including | | | | Greacanic is spoken. |
| Temple of Hercules, Temple of Zeus and | | | | Greek and Southern Italian cuisine do |
| Temple of Concord.The Sicilian town of | | | | share many similarities. Primarily, this |
| Siracusa was also an ancient Greek town. | | | | is due to the fact that they are two |
| The Greeks arrived here in 734BC and | | | | areas of the Mediterranean situated very |
| named the small Island of Ortigia in | | | | near each other, sharing similar |
| Siracusa after 'ortgyia', the Greek word | | | | climates and soils...as a result they |
| for 'quail', as it was 'quail shaped'. | | | | use and grow similar products, e.g. |
| (how did they know what it looked like | | | | olives and olive oil, aubergines, |
| from above...?) They also built various | | | | courgettes, peppers, garlic and |
| temples, such as the Temple of Apollo in | | | | tomatoes. This in turn results in |
| the central Piazza Pancali, and the | | | | similar dishes and recipes. There is |
| Temple of Athena. They also built the | | | | also however Greek influence in some |
| Arethusa fountain, named after the | | | | Southern Italian cuisine and vice versa, |
| legendary nymph of Arethusa, which is | | | | due to historical factors; Greek |
| now a 'hangout' for local youngsters. | | | | occupation in Southern Italy, and Roman |
| Also, inland from the main Siracusa | | | | occupation in Greece. For example, when |
| centre, they built the biggest theatre | | | | the Romans occupied Greece, many Greek |
| in Sicily. | | | | tutors were employed by rich Roman |
| With many areas of Southern Italy | | | | families for their children as well as |
| speaking Greek for many years, (Naples | | | | Greek chefs for their kitchens...Other |
| was Greek speaking until the 9th | | | | dishes to be compared, are the |
| century) it's no surprise that there is | | | | Neapolitan dish Parmigiana to the |
| some Greek influence to be found in some | | | | Greeks' Moussaka , (both dishes include |
| accents or dialects in the South. | | | | layering similar ingredients such as |
| Admittedly the Greek language on the | | | | aubergines, tomato sauce and cheese), |
| whole is very different, but there are a | | | | Pepperonata from Campania with the |
| few words that still remain.With the | | | | Greeks' salata me psites piperies , (a |
| Romans also having occupied Greece, some | | | | charred pepper salad with olives), and |
| words also may have been brought into | | | | Campania's melanzane a scarpetta (also |
| the Greek language by the | | | | know as melanzane a barchetta) to the |
| Romans.....Griko and Graecanic are | | | | Greeks' melitzanes papoutsakia (stuffed |
| languages spoken by the Italians living | | | | aubergine halves- the Italian scarpetta |
| in the Bovesia Calabria region, and | | | | and Greek papoutsakia mean 'shoes' |
| could be described as an Italian-Greek | | | | referring to how they look ). |
| pidgin languages. These languages are | | | | It is no wonder, then, that Italians and |
| dying out, and there has been a law | | | | Greeks have a saying "Una Faccia Una |
| brought in to protect them, although | | | | Razza" (pronounced una fatsa una razza |
| some believe it may be too late. | | | | in Greek)! ( Translated literally, it |
| Greek, Arabic and Spanish influence on | | | | means "one face one race" and refers to |
| Southern Italian music can be heard from | | | | similarities and history that Greece and |
| listening to various pieces of music and | | | | Italy. |