Nora

A Phoenician colony on the promontory of Cape Pula, Sardinia, southwest of Cagliari, probably of the 8th century BC. Tradition ascribes its founding to Iberians from Tartessus. From the end of the 6th century BC, Sardinia came under Carthaginian control, and from 238 BC under Roman, becoming a province in 227 BC. Nora seems to have enjoyed particular prosperity under Roman rule, rivaled only by Cagliari (municipium Iulium). After the Roman annexation of Sardinia, Nora was its capital in the republican period and later became a municipium (Romanized community) under the empire (after 27 BC). Decline appears to have come with the 4th century AD. Excavations have uncovered a Sardinian nuraghe (towerlike monument), a Punic necropolis, an Hellenistic tophet (shrine), a temple to Tanit and one to Juno, a nymphaeum, a theater with a mosaic-surfaced orchestra, an aqueduct, and Roman bath buildings (also with mosaic). The northwest shore was lined with a series of luxury houses, including the so-called House of the Atrium.

A Phoenician colony on the promontory of Cape Pula, Sardinia, probably of the 8th century bc. From the end of the 6th century bc Sardinia came under Carthaginian control, and from 238 bc under Roman, becoming a province in 227 BC. Nora seems to have enjoyed particular prosperity under Roman rule, rivalled only by Cagliari (municipium lulium). Decline appears to have come with the 4th century ad. Excavations since 1952 have uncovered a fair area of the city. Evidence survives for a Punic necropolis, an Hellenistic tophet (shrine) a temple to Tanit, a theatre with a mosaic-surfaced orchestra, and Roman bath-buildings, also with mosaic. The northwest shore was lined with a series of luxury houses, including the so-called House of the Atrium.