"Palaepolis is mentioned only by Livy: it was an ancient
Cumaean colony, the Cumaeans having taken refuge there across
the sea. Neapolis derives its name from being a much later
settlement of different Greek tribes, and was perhaps not
founded till Olymp. 91, about the time of the Athenian
expedition to Sicily, and as a fortress of the Greeks against
the Sabellians. It is not impossible that the Athenians also
may have had a share in it. Both towns, however, were of
Chalcidian origin and formed one united state, which at that
time may have been in possession of Ischia. Many absurdities
have been written about the site of Palaepolis, and most of
all by Italian antiquaries. We have no data to go upon except
the two statements in Livy, that Palaepolis was situated by
the side of Neapolis, and that the Romans [in the second
Samnite war] had pitched their camp between the two towns. The
ancient Neapolis was undoubtedly situated in the centre of the
modern city of Naples above the church of Sta. Rosa; the coast
is now considerably advanced. People have sought for
Palaepolis likewise within the compass of the modern city. …
I alone should never have discovered its true site, but my
friend, the Count de Serre, a French statesman, who in his
early life had been in the army and had thus acquired a quick
and certain miliary eye, discovered it in a walk which I took
with him. The town was situated on the outer side of Mount
Posilipo, where the quarantine now is."
_B. G. Niebuhr,
Lectures on the History of Rome,
lecture 40 (volume 1)._
"Parthenopé was an ancient Greek colony founded by the
Chalcidians of Cuma on the northern part of the Bay of Naples.
In after years another city sprung up a little to the south,
whence the original Parthenopé was called Palæpolis or
Old-town, while the new town took the name of Neapolis. The
latter preserves its name in the modern Naples." Palæpolis was
taken by the Romans, B. C. 327, at the beginning of the second
Samnite War, and is heard of no more. Neapolis made peace with
them and lived.
_H. G. Liddell,
History of Rome,
book 3, chapter 21 (volume 1)._
{2247}
NEAPOLIS (Syracuse).
See TEMENITES.