Coastal Sanctuaries in Magna Graecia: Testing the Concept of Epithalassic Sanctuaries

This dissertation investigates the so-called “epithalassic sanctuaries” of Magna Graecia in order to assess whether the term identifies a coherent category of cult places or merely constitutes a modern interpretative construct. Although the expression has become increasingly common in archaeological scholarship to describe sanctuaries located in close proximity to the sea, its analytical validity has never been systematically evaluated. The research therefore examines whether coastal sanctuaries share archaeological, topographical, and cultic characteristics that distinguish them from other sacred contexts in Magna Graecia. The study adopts a comparative approach based on ten coastal sanctuaries dating between the Archaic and Hellenistic periods. Archaeological and topographical data were standardized through a relational database, while statistical analyses and GIS-based spatial investigations were used to examine the relationship between sanctuaries, the coastline, and the distribution of votive assemblages. The results were subsequently compared with selected inland sanctuaries in order to evaluate whether the observed patterns are specific to coastal contexts. The analysis demonstrates that the only consistently shared feature is the close spatial relationship between these sanctuaries and the coastline, particularly with coastal areas suitable for landing and maritime access. By contrast, the archaeological evidence does not support the existence of a distinct cultic category. Votive assemblages, divine associations, and ritual practices display substantial overlap with those documented in inland sanctuaries, while material indicators directly connected with navigation or maritime cults are sporadic and unevenly distributed. The considerable heterogeneity of the archaeological record further discourages the definition of a rigid typological framework. The dissertation therefore argues that the concept of “epithalassic sanctuaries” should be understood not as the expression of a distinct cultic phenomenon in antiquity, but as a heuristic category that provides a useful framework for investigating sanctuaries sharing a meaningful spatial relationship with the sea. Rather than defining a specific type of sanctuary, the term offers a productive interpretative tool through which the interaction between sacred landscapes and the maritime environment can be explored within the broader religious geography of Magna Graecia.