Province of Taranto:
Avetrana, Carosino, Castellaneta, Crispiano, Faggiano, Fragagnano, Ginosa, Grottaglie, Laterza, Leporano, Lizzano, Manduria, Martina Franca, Maruggio, Massafra, Monteiasi, Montemesola, Monteparano, Mottola, Palagianello, Palagiano, Pulsano, Roccaforzata, San Giorgio Ionico, San Marzano di San Giuseppe, Sava, Statte, Taranto, Torricella.
Puglianello (BN): A commune in the province of Benevento. Population: 1,402 (2006e).
Punic: an ethnic term derived from the Latin word Poenus for Phoenician; refers to Phoenician or Carthaginian material in the west Mediterranean. When used as a period designation, it normally refers to the years c. 500-146 BC.
Puteolanum: A country villa in Campania that belonged to Cicero. It received its name from the nearby town of Puteoli (mod. Pozzuoli). It was here that Cicero wrote his Questiones Academicae and was the site for Emperor Hadrian’s burial.
Puteolanus sinus: An ancient Roman name for the Bay of Naples along the coast of Campania. It derived its name from the important sea-port of Puteoli.
Puteoli (mod. Pozzuoli): ancient city of Campania, S Italy, 8 mi (13 km) W of Naples. Founded as Dicaearchia in c.520 B.C. by Samian Greeks from nearby Cumae, it came under Roman control by the end of the 4th cent. B.C. and was made a citizen colony in 194 BC. Further colonists were added during the reigns of Augustus, Nero, and Vespasian. It became famous as Rome’s principal port of entry for Eastern trade, handling notably mosaics, pottery, and perfumes. The shops were rich, and the city was surrounded by handsome villas. Puteoli owed its prosperity and importance to its excellent harbor, protected by a mole. It lost a certain amount of significance after the development of the port facilities at Ostia, but continued to thrive until the early 5th century. In AD 410, it was attacked and destroyed by the Visigoths under Alaric. It suffered similar attacks in 455 from the Vandals and in 545 from the Ostrogoths under Totila. After each destruction the city was rebuilt.
In Christian history, Puteoli is remembered as the port where St. Paul disembarked and remained for seven days during his journey to Rome.
Putignano (BA): A commune in the province of Bari: Population: 27,770 (2006e).
putto (pl. putti): a cherub. Putti are a common feature found in religious paintings and sculpture since the time of the Renaissance. Depictions of these little, winged, boys actually predate Christianity, appeared in Roman sculpted motifs as early as the 2nd Century BC. They are particularly common in the Baroque decorations of churchs in Naples, Palermo, and elsewhere.
Pythagoras: Ruler of Akragas (r?-510 BC).
Pythagoras of Rhegium: (b. Rhegium; fl. 480-430 BC). Sculptor. A contemporary of Myron and Polyclitus, he also specialized in depicting athletic champions. Among his subjects was Euthymus of Locri, whose statue he created after the latter’s third boxing victory at the Olympics in 472 BC.
Pythagoras of Samos: (b. c569 BC-475 BC). Mathematician and mystical philosopher. Born on the Aegean island of Samos in c569 BC, Pythagoras was the son of Mnesarchus, a Phoenician merchant from the city of Tyre, and Pythais, a Greek woman of Samos. According to Porphyry, Mnesarchus had brought much needed grain to Samos during a time of famine and was rewarded with a grant of citizenship. As soon as Pythagoras was old enough, he began to accompany his father on voyages and visited many of the land of the eastern Mediterranean. Some accounts say that Mnesarchus brought him back to Tyre where Pythagoras received instruction from the Chaldaeans, the foremost astrologers of their time, and other teachers. For three years he studied at Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos, receiving initiation into secret mystery rites (c548 BC), which included the revelation of higher mathematics. He also continued his voyages with his father and in believed to have made his first visit to Greek Italy during this time.