Seiano near Naples

[The Augusta]

I was wondering if Silentum or any of our other Italian experts could shed some light on the small town of Seiano near Naples. On visits to the area in the past I know that I have definitely seen signposts for this town, and on a quick Google search I have found references to a 'Grotto di Seiano' and a small town in the Sorrento area. However, I cannot find any meaningful information on the Internet regarding the history of the town.

 

Now - this may be fanciful - but surely the name 'Seiano' must take itself from Sejanus (d. 31AD)? So - is the town named after him? Is it perhaps associated with him in some other way? Was the 'Grotto di Seiano', for instance, the place where Sejanus reputedly saved Tiberius from a rock-fall? Or was this little town the place of his birth? And if so, why don't the histories mention it? Or is it simply a huge coincidence?

 

It has such an unusual name that I am very curious to know more about it - just as a general interest point.

 

Any ideas, anyone?

[Pertinax]

Noble Lady, where exactly did you see these signposts please? Prior to moving toward Meta? I would be most interested to know.

[The Augusta]

Noble Lady, where exactly did you see these signposts please? Prior to moving toward Meta? I would be most interested to know.

 

Navigation has never been my strongpoint, Pertinax. I could not tell you exactly where, as in the coordinates - but it was somewhere between Sorrento and Amalfi! I have taken that coastal drive on at least three hols down there, and I always see the signpost. I notice it precisely because it seems to scream Sejanus at me.

[Andrew Dalby]

Noble Lady, where exactly did you see these signposts please? Prior to moving toward Meta? I would be most interested to know.

 

Navigation has never been my strongpoint, Pertinax. I could not tell you exactly where, as in the coordinates - but it was somewhere between Sorrento and Amalfi! I have taken that coastal drive on at least three hols down there, and I always see the signpost. I notice it precisely because it seems to scream Sejanus at me.

You may have tried this too, O Augusta, but I though I would Google "Grotto di Seiano" for you. Interesting but doesn't answer your question. Only five hits, all of which seem to be about a cave not in the place where you describe it, but somewhere close to Naples to the north-west. One mention here is of an archaeological park --

 

The Seiano Grotto - Pausylipon Archeological Park on Cape Posillipo reached by taking the winding street marked "Discesa Coroglio-Grotto di Seiano" ...

 

Since there is a well-known story about Tiberius and a cave (Suetonius, "Tiberius" 39), a story of which Robert Graves makes Sejanus the hero, I wonder whether both this cave, and the one you have seen signs to, are named after him to attract Gravesian tourists. But the real scene of that incident was near Terracina.

 

I can't now remember whether there are ancient sources involving Sejanus in that cave story. Does anyone know?

[Silentium]

I was wondering if Silentum or any of our other Italian experts could shed some light on the small town of Seiano near Naples. On visits to the area in the past I know that I have definitely seen signposts for this town, and on a quick Google search I have found references to a 'Grotto di Seiano' and a small town in the Sorrento area. However, I cannot find any meaningful information on the Internet regarding the history of the town.

 

Of course, Seiano is a small fraction (200 inhabitants circa) of Vico Equense, and you can get there by Circumvesuviana, so if you visited the Sorrentine Paeninsula via Circumvesuviana it is likely that the train stopped there too .

 

The Grotta di Seiano is in Posillipo though (Pausylipon) and it has nothing to do with Seiano (the fraction) which is "near" Sorrento. There are many legends connected to the place, for example one of them says Cicero used to go there to visit Marius, and yes, it is evident that the name comes from Sejanus, who had a villa there . If the "rete civica metropolitana" claims that I think they probably have some evidence, probably archaeological findings or ancient sources, I'll try to research some more about it.

 

As far as the grotto goes, there are different legends and theories about the name..one says it was built by Sejanus himself, it was a speculation by humanist Giovanni Pontano in his treaty "De Magnificentia", but later discoveries confirmed that the place existed before Tiberius. It is more likely that it was designed by architect Cocceo, to link the pausylipon to the military port of Miseno (built for Augustus by Marcus Agrippa). There are so many legends about the place (involving Virgil, Polyphemus..), it is fascinating .

[The Augusta]

Thank you, as always, Silentum, for your help on this. I knew I could count on you to provide us with far more than Google. You are a veritable cornucopia of information. It also helps to know that there are two distinct places - the fraction and the actual Grotto.

 

Whatever the legends and history, it has always struck me that if these places are named after Sejanus, it is interesting to see that his name lives on in this area - despite the malignant tradition about him in the written histories.