Brundisium

Brundisium is the ancient name for the city now known as Brindisi, located on the southeastern coast of Italy in the region of Apulia. It sits on the Adriatic Sea at the northern end of the Salento peninsula, a position that has long made it a natural gateway between Italy and the eastern Mediterranean.

The name Brundisium derives from the Latin form of a pre-Roman name, with Greek sources sometimes recording Brundísion. The site began as a Messapian settlement before becoming a Roman town. By antiquity it was recognized as a major port and, in Roman times, developed into a key maritime hub for long-distance travel and military logistics.

Brundisium gained particular prominence as the terminus of the Via Appia, the great Roman road linking Rome to the eastern provinces. From Brundisium, travelers and troops could transfer to ships bound for Dyrrachium (Durazzo) and other eastern destinations, making the harbor a principal artery between Italy and the Hellenistic world. The port’s two natural basins and extensive quays supported commercial activity as well as imperial military movements.

In later antiquity and the medieval period, Brundisium remained an important port, though it faced decline due to shifting trade routes and silting. The site eventually became the modern city of Brindisi, which retained its role as a major Mediterranean port.

Today, Brindisi remains an active commercial and passenger port with ferries and shipping links to Greece and the Balkans. Its long history is reflected in archaeological remains, medieval fortifications, and a landscape shaped by its maritime function.