Will the waters in front of the Tórre Sàn Giovànni play a role in the future geopolitical chessboard of the central Mediterranean? Only time will tell; in the past, control of these waters has been crucial. However, those who contested it had to deal with frequent shipwrecks.

The stretch of sea visible in front of the tower was the first outpost on the Ionian Sea for Greek ships that, after rounding Cape Lèuca, set out for colonization.

The coastline of Sàn Gregòrio, just a bit to the south, provided a safe haven for these vessels. However, here, not far from the coast, the waters are treacherous. An extensive area of rocks, shallow waters, and algae formations—the shoals of Ugènto—seems almost designed to halt ships in their tracks. 

According to myth, one illustrious victim of the shoals of Ugènto was Pyrrhus. In the 3rd century BC, Tàranto sought the help of the great general to defend against the Roman forces, then in a phase of expansion. Starting from present-day Albania, Pyrrhus circumnavigated the Salènto but famously foundered in the treacherous Shoals of Ugènto. Plutarch recounts the episode, emphasizing the cargo of the fleet; if we choose to believe him, we must imagine an apocalyptic scene in which elephants went down, while Pyrrhus swam to the nearby Tórre Mòzza.

Beyond the myth, these coasts have yielded many ancient artifacts. Greco-Italic amphorae, sometimes even intact; architectural pieces; anchors; everyday objects like clay container lids—still bearing visible marks of the potter's fingers.

In 2008, in Tórre Sàn Giovànni, the Carabinièri discovered the cargo of a Greco-Italic ship of inestimable value that was being plundered. The looters had to return 60 amphorae, all dating back to the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.

Thanks to the work of underwater archaeologists and law enforcement agencies, these testimonies of our past have been recovered. If this world fascinates you, look for our podcast "The Secret Seas of Pùglia": a fiction inspired by the mysteries of shipwrecks to shed light on the importance of preserving our submerged archaeological heritage.