The earliest human settlements in southern Italy date back at least to the Lower Paleolithic, around 700,000 years ago. This is confirmed by numerous archaeological sites where Paleolithic and Neolithic artifacts have been discovered and cataloged, including the Calda Caves in Latronico, Basilicata, and the Romito Cave in Papasidero, Calabria. The latter is particularly significant, offering essential geological and anthropological insights.
Beyond prehistoric evidence, numerous sites narrate a more recent history. Southern Italy has long been a crossroads of cultures, peoples, and languages, serving as both a point of exploration and passage. Many Greek colonies, still accessible today, stand alongside the settlements of the indigenous Italic people, the Brettii (Bruttii), traces of whom can be found in ancient Blanda in Tortora and within the Castiglione di Paludi Archaeological Park in the province of Cosenza.
