▁a ▁large ▁sub - area ▁of ▁ ▁Bas il ic ata ▁region , ▁character ized ▁by ▁the ▁cultiv ation ▁and ▁production ▁of ▁g rap es ▁" Ag li an ico , ▁which ▁gives ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁ren owned ▁regional ▁w ines ▁and ▁appreciated , ▁the ' Ag li an ico ▁del ▁V ulture , ▁precisely . ▁R ip ac and ida ▁r ises ▁from ▁the ▁rock ▁on ▁which ▁you ▁can ▁enjoy ▁the ▁scen ery ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁the ▁eye ▁can ▁see , ▁huge ▁and ▁impress ive , ▁while ▁walking ▁through ▁the ▁narrow ▁streets ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁street , ▁pe ering ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁V ulture ▁can ▁be ▁seen ▁in ▁all ▁her ▁radi ant ▁beauty , ▁especially ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁re dd ish ▁clear ▁summer ▁sun sets , ▁this ▁mountain ▁almost ▁" mag ic " ▁that ▁domin ates ▁the ▁landscape ▁to ▁north - west . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁arch ae ological ▁survey ▁of ▁the ▁years ▁ 1 9 7 7 – 8 0 ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁anti qu ity ▁of ▁R ip ac and ida ▁the ▁sevent h ▁century ▁BC , ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century ▁historian ▁Luc an ▁M iche le ▁Lac ava ▁found ▁some ▁c aves ▁d ating ▁ar che olit ica ▁and ▁floor ▁m osa ics ▁at ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁R ip ac and ida . ▁The ▁Greek ▁histor ians ▁( Ar ist ot le , ▁T ima eus , ▁and ▁Ant io chus ▁of ▁Sy rac use