Piazzetta Nilo: The Regio Nilensis

Before resuming our walk towards Via San Biagio dei Librai, taking in all the charm of the decumano inferior, stop awhile in this small square known as ‘del Nilo’ (of the Nile), because in the centre of the square there is a statue dedicated to the Egyptian River God.  The River God is represented by the image of a bearded man lying on water holding a cornucopia, surrounded by cherubs and a spinx. The statue dated between 1st – 2nd century AD.  A period in which the area around the square was known as Royal Nilensis because the area was inhabited by ancient eastern populations, more specifically people coming from Alexandria in Egypt and from the banks of the Nile. The particular presence of Egyptians in Naples can explain the commercial growth of the city in this period., which favoured the presence of foreign communities as that of Alexandria, who were particularly  influential, since also in this area stood a temple dedicated to their God Isis;  you can see a statue of Isis in the museum.  Another curiosity is that the square is also named  ‘Largo Corpo di Napoli’, this is because until 1657, the bearded head was missing, and so everyone thought that the statue was a woman who personified the city of Naples and nourished the inhabitants as did the cherubs that drank from his chest. A Egyptian district in the heart of ancient Naples with even a temple should not surprise us, it demonstrates that Neapolis was a city open to foreigners and their culture, also to integration.