Apulia is a region in southern Italy and it was populated by a vast number of Greek colonies from the 8th Century BC onwards – so much so that the Romans referred to the area as Magna Graecia – ‘Great Greece’. These Greek colonies were instrumental in bringing Greek culture and thought to Italy, greatly influencing Roman literature, philosophy, and material culture in turn. Greek pottery from Southern Italy is most easily identified by its glossy black finish, as is seen on this jug.
To learn more about Greek pottery, please visit our relevant blog post: Styles and Uses of Greek Pottery.