Squillace (Latin: Scyllaceum or Scalacium) is an ancient seaside town in the southern Italian region of Calabria facing the Golfo di Squillace. It is referred to as Comune di Squillace in its coat of arms (see picture). Calabria, formerly Brutium, is a region in southern Italy which occupies the toe of the Italian peninsula south of Naples. ...
The town, founded by the ancient Greeks, is known today as one of Italy's most important archeological sites as well as a popular resort. Among the most important ruins are those of Roccelletta di Borgia, considered to be among the most ancient Romanesque buildings in Italy. Squillace was also the birthplace of Roman statesman Cassiodorus (Aurelio Cassiodoro), founder of the Vivarium, a monastery dedicated to the coexistence of coenobitic monks and hermits. Romanesque St. ... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... Flavius Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator (ca 484/490 - ca585), commonly known as Cassiodorus, was a Roman statesman and writer, serving in the administration of Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. ...
Production of highly prized terra cotta has been an important part the local economy for centuries; Cassiodorus' writings make several mentions of it. Squillace is the home of the pignatari style of ceramic artistry. The name is derived from the Italian word pignata, an earthenware container used for cooking beans over an open fire. Terra cotta is a hard semifired waterproof ceramic clay used in pottery and building construction. ...