( 4 ) 
From the time of the Roman Republic, 
till the ninth century of the Chriftian ara^ 
hiftorians make no mention of this once 
magnificent city. But we learn that, in the 
year 366, Docibilis duke of Gseta, being at 
war with one of his neighbours the Lord 
of Capua, folicited the aid of the Saracens, 
a colony from Sicily, then eftablifhed irj 
Calabria. They came to his afliftance and 
remained in pofleflion of a confiderabte part 
of the country, whence they were finally ex- 
pelled by means of a body of Greeks fent by 
one of the Conftantines. But, before their 
entire expulfion, in the year 930, they en- 
tered Pceftum in the night, and after pillag^ 
ing the inhabitants, fet it on fire. 
There remained yet confiderable veftiges 
of its ancient magnificence, till, in the year 
1080, the pious zeal of Robart Guifcard, 
dripped the ancient temples of their orna- 
ments, for the purpofe of adorning a church 
which he was then building at Salermo, 
where, he believed, the bones of St. Matthew 
were depofited. 
From the many Infcriptions found in the 
ruins of this ancient city, I will felect the 
following, as one of the moft remarkable, 
