NOAH THE FOUNDER: Volterra was the first city to send colonies throughout the world around 108 years after the universal flood, as Cato tells as well.
Volterra is one of the oldest cities in Italy, so it wouldn’t be surprising if its exact founding date wasn’t known. Indeed, some historians, both local and foreign, both well-known and unknown, such as Paolo Giovio, the greatest historian, who was annihilated by Aretino’s verses, have racked their brains, and risked much of their credibility, to at least give a certain year for the laying of the foundation stone.
According to Giovannelli, the founder was Janus, grandson of Noah, who began the work a hundred years before the Trojan War and five hundred years before the founding of Rome—that is, the Augustinian historian himself specifies, in 3948 AD, or 1215 BC. Anton Filippo Giachi, quoting Maffei and Riccobaldi Del Bava, suggests a slightly more recent foundation: seventy years before the Trojan War, or 1264 BC. And the numbers, as usual, don’t add up.
Then there are others, including Del Bava, who do not see Janus as the founder but rather Noah himself, the one of the Ark and the vineyard, so to speak, “who survived three hundred and fifty years after the Flood, and passed into Italy”.
Most agree, however, that Volterra was founded by the Lydians, and more specifically by their prince Tyrrhenus, who built it to counter the overwhelming power of pirates. Volterra was therefore one of the first cities to dominate the sea with such boldness, and also with such expertise that it is credited with the invention of the two-pronged anchor.
And it doesn’t end there.
Volterra, Giovannelli continues, “was the first city to send colonies throughout the world around 108 years after the universal flood, as Cato recounts very well…”
Contents transcribed from the book “Volterra Magica e Misteriosa” by Franco Porretti, published by Pacini Editore in 2001. We thank Brunello Porretti for his kind permission.
