J + 22 : Epilogue - Omnia Semper Mutantur

Monte Vesuvius seen from the Castel d'Ovo on Sat, 20 Sept

After three weeks of sailing, “My Lotty” arrived in the marina of Castelmare 35 km south of Naples. The incoming thunderstorms forced us to seek shelter. Waves and wind speed were too high for staying in a bay. We made the right decision. In the early hours of Saturday, a violent thunderstorm hit the marina and rattled the boats. Torrential rain fell for three hours. There was an upside though – we did not need to wash the boat with fresh water.

The City of Naples during Roman Times. The Picture of the Vesuvius is incorrect - it had only one Peak before the Explosion in 79 AD which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum

Naples was an interesting final destination. The open bay brought Greek culture and the alphabet to Italy’s shores. Naples became the place where Romans immersed themself in Greek culture. As Rome’s Foederati (allies) Neapolitans could keep the Greek religion and  language. Only legal proceedings were held in Latin. As a port, Naples massively benefitted from the Pax Augusta which brought safety and free trade to the Mediterranean.  

Castel Nuovo was built in 1282 by the Anjevin Kings to protect the Port and link it to the main town - as foreign Rulers they thought existing Castles were inadequate

The openness of Naples had its flipside though – demonstrated by the town’s big forts. Castel d’Ovo in the port, Castel Nuovo at the center and Castel Sant’Elmo protecting Naples from the north. Once the Pax Augusta collapsed, Naples’s wealth and openness invited raids by the Vandals, Arabs and Turks. For its first thousand years, Naples prospered from trade, cooperation and division of labor. Then, a thousand years of terror and fear of raids by Arab and Ottoman pirates followed. Neapolitans could watch in real time what happened to Capri’s and Ischia’s unlucky citizens who were captured and sold into slavery. Villages on the coast were abandoned. People fled to mountains. The economy stagnated.

From the 9th to the 17th Century, Saracen Raids (first Arabs then Turks) were a terrible Fact of Life. Surviving on the Coast became impossible unless living in a fortified Town

Prosperity and misery are closer to each other than we believe. We enjoy our modern, good lifestyle and take it for granted. But it may vanish in a heartbeat - driven by external events outside our control. Geopolitic shifts, new technologies or wars can change everything fast. Prosperity on the contrary takes centuries and a sophisticated culture to build. As a Latin proverb goes "Nothing is permanent". Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor whose equestrian statue now decorates Rome's Capitol Hill, once famously said "Everything's destiny is to change, to be transformed, to perish. So that new things can be born."

Marcus Aurelius Statue on the Capitol Hill in Rome. He ruled from 161 to 180 AD

Under the Bourbon Kings, Naples' economic situation normalized. The raids stopped, the heavy spending on defence ended, infrastructure was developed. Most people never heard that in the 18^th Century Naples was Europe’s third largest city, right behind London and Paris. How could Southern Italy be so rich? Three of its products were in high demand and exported in big quantities. Sulphur from Etna to make gun powder, olive oil for illumination and soaps and silks for the nobles and the emerging middle class. Naples was a booming town. Its Kings so wealthy that they could afford a "second" Versailles in Caserta. Naples also had Italy’s first railway – a story never told. Today, Mezzogiorno and Naples are often mentioned in one sentence – poor and corrupt. People in Milan earn twice the salaries of the Neapolitans.

The Palace in Caserta has more Rooms than Versailles in France

For the south, the flip from rich to poor came with the industrialization and the Italian unification. Old industries and products were substituted. Petrol replaced olive oil as main fuel for lamps, sulphur was synthezised by chemical companies. After 1860, the south also lost its political center that was looking after its economic interests. The Italian Kings from northern Savoy had other priorities. I heard many Sicilians and Neapolitans saying that Italy was united to help the Savoy Kings paying their debts. In any case, when an industry died, Italy's North made little efforts to create new ones. The slow development of the southern railway system is a good indicator. You need to be in Naples to see with your own eyes how wealthy this town was. It had the world's first Opera House where Mozart once wanted to play. Its palaces and places are magnificent. There are more than in Genoa.

The World's First Opera House was opened in 1737 in Naples

In history, only human nature and change are constant. Today, a great number of our fellow citizens want to keep everything as it is - postponing the inevitable - but change will happen. Reminds me of today's debate on Artificial Intelligence which is often rather hostile. Focussing on what AI could do to improve our lives and help us developing new knowhow and products may be a better way of dealing with it.

Pozzuoli's old Roman Port is now surrounded by modern, less beautiful Buildings

On our way from Malta to Naples we visited many decayed cities. Still, our civilisation is built on their very foundations. What would we be without Greek philosophy and science, their alphabet, the bible stories and gospel from the Holy Land? We developed them further and built the western civilisation whose liberty and comfort we enjoy today. Seems that cultural values are stronger than the stones we looked at during the last three weeks. The longevity of values and culture is probably best illustrated by Apostle Paul whose words still guide us today. Does anybody remember the names of the Emperors who ruled during his time?

Procession of young People with thier local Saint through the

Streets of Palermo on Sunday

This brings us to the end of our three years sailing trip tracking Saint Paul's route as prisoner from Caesarea to Rome. His story reminds me that values and culture are the binding elements of our civilisation. Everything can change. Everything will change. But with the right values we can make something good out of it. Something better than what our ancestors had. On this positive note, my blog now closes and hibernates until December when I will start blogging again about our next adventure.