Myths and legends of Calabria: 6 stories you can't miss

"Dìcia ca..." ("they say that..."), is the typical expression in the local dialect that indicates the beginning of a fantastic tale, which has to do with Calabrian myths and legends.

The archaeological origins of the region and the different peoples who have passed through it are the basis of various myths and legends of Calabria: a unique imaginary world, an inspiration for those who travel in search of stories and mysteries.

All that remains is to immerse yourself in the traditional tales, from north to south, but also in the archives that document facts and characters that really existed.

Among the most popular myths and legends of Calabria is the one linked to the infamous Treasure of Alaric, the king of the Goths who really existed. What is the legend about? To find out, we must visit the historic centre of Cosenza (Cosenza Vecchia) and go to the exact point where the two city rivers, Crati and Busento, converge at the foot of the Monumental Complex of San Domenico. According to an ancient legend, this is where the king's treasure is buried: the spoils of war brought back after the sack of Rome by the Goth army, consisting of a chest containing 25 tonnes of pure gold, 150 tonnes of silver, jewels and coins in abundance.

Whether it is just one of the myths and legends of Calabria matters little, as the story still holds an irresistible fascination and is inspired by a historical fact: in 410, the king of the Goths was crossing southern Italy with his war treasure, the spoils of Rome, when, near Cosentia, he was struck down by malaria, which caused his death. His burial is at the origin of the legend of Alaric, so much so that today, in his honour, the spot where the treasure is rumoured to be is marked by a statue by the sculptor Paolo Grassino, and is one of the must-see attractions for lovers of contemporary art in Cosenza.

Remaining in the province of Cosenza, the second stop on our journey through the myths and legends of Calabria is the village of Campana, in the Sila area, where a monumental pair of stone elephants stand. That's right! We are in one of the most interesting places among those that fuel Calabrian myths and legends: the geosite of the Sila National Park known as the Stone Giants of Campana (or Incavallicata Stones). The first of the two sandstone megaliths, known as the Elephant of Incavallicata, is about 5 metres high; the other, known as Cyclops or Seated Warrior, is mutilated at the top and is about 7 metres high. The charm of the Stone Giants lies in their surroundings: associated with small cavities carved into the rock, similar to Neolithic caves, they are linked to an extraordinary discovery.

In nearby Lake Cecita, in the municipality of Spezzano della Sila, the remains of an imposing Elephas Antiquus have been found: a species of prehistoric elephant whose presence sheds new light on the history of the entire area, which had already yielded evidence of Neanderthal man in 2004. The pachyderm has a large molar and 3-metre-long tusks, which allow it to be dated to 700,000 years ago. In light of this discovery, the hypothesis that the Elephant of Incavallicata is much more than just a case of Calabrian myths and legends it could represent a particular species of prehistoric elephant that re-emerged from the Cecita, as well as, as some argue, a tribute to the 'war elephants' that passed through Calabria during the expeditions of Pyrrhus (280 BC) and Hannibal (Second Punic War, 216 BC).

They call it Stone of Margari, a name that embodies the myths and legends of Calabria, but also an ancient agricultural and pastoral tradition waiting to be discovered. We are in the Serrastretta Beech Forest, among the woods of Mount Reventino in the province of Catanzaro, where the inhabitants tell a magical story... The area is home to authentic craftsmanship, and it is no coincidence that Serrastretta is known as the "City of Chairs", a tradition of excellence that has been handed down for generations. This activity has always been accompanied by pastoralism, which, immersed in Reventino and the Mount Condrò Beech Forest, a 200-hectare wooded area, is the protagonist of numerous myths and legends of ancient Calabria, such as that of the Margàri.

Who are these Margàri? A mythological people or a community that really existed? The word margàro commonly refers to the profession of shepherd (not only in Calabrian dialect); however, linked to the mysterious site of the Stone of the Margàri, it takes on a whole new charm. It transports us to the myths and legends of Calabria linked to the treasures of the brigands. On closer inspection, walking among the yellow and red autumn foliage, the large stone really seems to hold something inside. Could it be the famous chest of gold coins? There is only one way to find out: go to the beech forest alone, at midnight and in the light of the full moon, and then turn seven times, on one foot, around the Stone of Margari.

We move on to Crotone, where a story with a capital "S" awaits us. A true story, albeit associated with various Calabrian myths and legends: it concerns the exceptional feats accomplished by Milo, the famous wrestler of Magna Graecia, who, together with the philosopher Pythagoras, upheld the name of Kroton throughout the ancient Mediterranean. Who was Milone from Crotone? We can say that he was a true hero to his contemporaries: winner of the Olympics seven times! Not only that, but in addition to his sporting achievements, the historian Diodorus Siculus informs us that Milone was also a valiant leader: the man who enabled Crotone to defeat the powerful army of its rival city, Sybaris, in 510 BC.

Like most ancient Greeks, Milo is also the subject of Calabrian myths and legends that have inspired artists and storytellers throughout the ages: sculptors such as Alessandro Vittoria and Pierre Puget, painters such as Étienne-Maurice Falconet and James Barry, and even Shakespeare. According to the myths and legends of Calabria concerning his figure, Milone belonged to the Pythagorean School of Crotone: legend has it that it was he who saved Pythagoras from the collapse of a roof; another source claims that Milone married Myia, the master's daughter. How did he die? In a legendary way, devoured by a pack of wolves inside an olive tree trunk.

Are the Megaliths of Nardodipace also Calabrian myths and legends? Many have asked themselves this question when standing before the granite monoliths in the Nardodipace forest. We are in the province of Vibo Valentia, in the heart of the Serre Regional Park, and the megaliths in question are truly impressive! Known to locals since time immemorial, these enormous blocks of semi-finished stone have attracted the attention of scholars from all over the world. Are they the work of nature or prehistoric man? This is the question at the heart of the debate and... of the woods, where the Megaliths of Nardodipace stand silently, like a miniature Calabrian Stonehenge.

The hypothesis that they were built by man in ancient times for sacred purposes fuels Calabrian myths and legends about their nature: the careful arrangement of the blocks, fitted together and used as lintels and pillars, as well as the presence of engravings, lead us to believe that an ancient 'organised' hand was already capable of exploiting the resources of these woods to build large structures. The Megaliths of Nardodipace could fall into the category of semi-finished geosites, similar to those already mentioned in Campana, a valuable example of the symbiosis between man and nature.

We conclude our overview of Calabrian myths and legends with the mother of all stories: the one featuring Scylla and Charybdis. Known throughout the world thanks to Homer's poems, the legend of the pair of giants who dominate the Strait of Messina is a must in Calabrian mythology. For those who are not yet familiar with them, Scylla and Charybdis are the names of the two beasts (terrible sea monsters) guarding the pillars that mark the Strait of Messina and the towns of the same name, located opposite each other: Scylla, along the beautiful Costa Viola in the province of Reggio Calabria, and Charybdis, a fishing village in the province of Messina.

Like almost all Calabrian myths and legends, this one also has Magna Graecian origins: it seems that the sorceress Circe, rejected by the fisherman Glaucus, transformed her young rival Scylla into a horrible sea monster. A beast with six dog heads and terrible claws. The terror of sailors, Scylla lives segregated under the rock that now bears her name, opposite Charybdis, another monstrous creature. The real story? That of two fishing villages that have always been committed to combating the dangers of navigation in the Strait of Messina. A terrace overlooking the sea and home to the typical Calabrian swordfish, the historic centre of Scilla offers views of the village of Chianalea and Ruffo Castle, as well as a breathtaking panorama from the Belvedere di Piazza San Rocco, where the Statue of Scylla, by the Reggio-based sculptor Francesco Triglia, is located.