MAGNA GRAECIA, the name given (first, apparently,in the 6th century B.c.) to the group of Greek cities 'EXX6.$), along the coast of the "toe" of South Italy (or more strictly those only from Tarentum to Locri, along the east coast), while the people were called Italiotes ('ITaXtforaL). The interior continued in the hands of the Bruttii, the native mountaineers, from whom the district was named in Roman times (Bperria also in Greek writers). The Greek colonies, at first trading stations, grew into independent cities. An early trade in copper was carried on be tween Greece and Temesa (Homer, Odyssey, i., 181), chiefly by Euboeans; and Cyme (Cumae) in Campania was founded in the 8th century B.C., when the Euboean Cyme was still a great city. After this the energy of Chalcis went onward to Sicily, and the states of the Corinthian Gulf carried out the colonization of Italy, Rhegium having been founded, it is true, by Chalcis, but after Messana (Zancle), and at the request of the inhabitants of the latter. Sybaris (721) and Crotona (7o3) were Achaean settle ments; Locri Epizephyrii (about 71o) was settled by Ozolian Locrians, so that, had it not been for the Dorian colony of Taren turn, the southern coast of Italy would have been entirely Achaean. Tarentum, whatever its origins, early became the only foreign settlement of the Spartans. Ionian Greeks fleeing from foreign invasion founded Siris about 65o B.C., and, much later, Elea (54o).
The Italian colonies, planted among friendly peoples, grew much more rapidly than the Sicilian Greek states, which had to contend against Carthage. After the Achaean cities had combined to de stroy the Ionic Siris, and had founded Metapontum as a counter poise to the Dorian Tarentum, there was little strife among the Italiotes. An amphictyonic league, meeting at the temple of Hera
on the Lacinian promontory, fostered a feeling of unity. The Pythagorean and Eleatic systems of philosophy had their chief seat in Magna Graecia. They sent competitors to the Olympic games (among them the famous Milo of Croton) ; and the physicians of Croton early in the 6th century (especially in the person of Democedes) were reputed the best in Greece. In 510 Croton, having defeated the Sybarites in a great battle, totally destroyed their city. In the war between Athens and Syracuse Magna Graecia took comparatively little part ; Locri was strongly anti Athenian, but Rhegium, though the headquarters of the Athenians in 427, remained neutral in 415. Foreign enemies pressed heavily on it. The Lucanians and Bruttians on the north captured one town after another. Dionysius of Syracuse attacked from the south; and after he defeated the Crotoniate league and destroyed Caulonia (389 B.c.), Tarentum (q.v.) remained the only powerful city. Repeated expeditions from Sparta and Epirus tried in vain to prop up the decaying Greek states against the Lucanians and Bruttians; and when in 282 the Romans appeared in the Tarentine Gulf the end was close at hand. The aid which Pyrrhus brought did little good to the Tarentines, and his final departure in 274 left them defenceless. Malaria increased as population diminished. Many of the cities disappeared, and hardly any were of great importance under the Roman empire; some, like Tarentum, main tained their existence into modern times. Archaeological investi gations of great importance have been made. (T. A.)