MAGNA GR/ECIA, °Great Greece," the name commonly given in ancient times to that part of southern Italy which was inhabited by Greek colonists. Apparently the name was in use as early as the time of Py thagoras (586-506 s.c.). Strabo includes the Greek cities of Sicily under the appellation. but the name refers generally only to the Greek cities in the south of Italy, including those on the shores of the Tarentine Gulf and the Bruttian Peninsula, with Velia., Posidonia and Laiis, on the west coast of Lucania. The name was not at first territorial or coextensive with any region, but applied merely to the Greek cities on the coasts, Cumm was the most an cient of all the Greek settlements in Italy, but from its remote position it was in a great rotas tire isolated from the later Greek settlements. The Achmans were the real colonizers of south ern Italy, their first settlement being Sybaris (720 A few years later (708 s.c.) Spar tan colonists founded Tarentutn, and to counter act their encroachments the Achnans founded Meta , on the frontier of the territory of the arentines, between 700 and 680 B.C. The Locrians fountied further south the city known as.Locri Epizephyrii, nearly contemporary with Crotona (710 a.c.). The Chakidic colony of Rhegium, on the Sicilian Straits, claims to have been more ancient even than Sybaris. The
Greek cities on the shores of Bruttium and Lucania were, Velia excepted (540 B.c.), off shoots from the earlier settlements, and not founded by colonists direct from Greece. The arrival of Pythagoras at Crotona (530 n.c.) produced a marked change in the cities of Magna Grmcia, and led to the introduction of great political changes. He and his followers were ultimately expelled from Crotona. Very little of the early history is known. The coast cities were essentially mercantile. Trade was well developed, and in the 6th century there was an extensive commerce, especially with Greece. The colonists who pushed to the in terior subdued the opposing natives and devel oped the fertile plains into agricultural settle ments. There was a high development of in tellectual life. At various times there were. temporary alliances among the cities, but never a permanent federation. Warfare was common and bitter and to this fact is largely due the decline of the territory. Magna Grmcia com prised the provinces of Campania, Apulia, Iapygia, Lucania and Bruttium.