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The Greeks may have founded a colony here as early as the 10th century BC. Greek customs and language generally survived during the Roman period, when this was a favourite place for the élite to build holiday villas and to send their young for higher education.

In the mid-13th century, the French Anjou dynasty, having taken over the Kingdom of Sicily, shifted its capital to Naples, to the great joy of the residents. Many new buildings were constructed, including, in 1279, the Castel Nuovo.

Naples’ left-wing mayor from 1993 to 2001 brought about a long-overdue clean up of the city (see The New Naples).

It is said that Gentileschi (1597–1652) was violated in her youth and brought the pain of her indignation to her astounding Judith and Holofernes , now in Capodimonte. She was virtually the only female artist of the age to rise to fame.

This is the best of Naples’ small musical companies, offering classical chamber music and the occasional jazz group. A typical evening might feature the music of Debussy, Ravel, Chausson and Franck.

Musical comedies are a speciality at this theatre, which is also one of the few that may offer shows outside the usual season of October to May. A chance to see what contemporary productions are like, in line with the centuries-old tradition of excellent comic theatre in Naples.

San Carlo shares with La Scala the record for the first Italian ballet school (1812).

The general was sent by the Byzantine Emperor to reconquer much of the Italian peninsula in the 5th century.