Large-Greece

It was a time when Italie
was only Large Greece| Ovide - (Records, IV) |

The Large-Greece or Large Greece (the two forms exist in French, with a nuance of direction) (in Greek old ἡ μεγάλη Ἑλλάς / He megálê Hellás , in Latin Magna Græcia ) is the name that the Greek of the Antiquité used to indicate the south of the Italian peninsula as well as the Sicily. Nowadays, Large Greece corresponds to the Campanie, the Calabria, the Basilicate and the Pouille like with the Sicily.

North in the South, the most important cities of Large Greece are:

1 Campania and bay of Naples:

Pithécusses (on the island of Ischia),
Cumes,
Dicéarchie (Pouzzoles),
Parthénopè (current Naples),
Elée (Vélia),
Poseidonia (called Paestum by the Romans)

2 South of the Italian peninsula (East-West):

3 Sicily:

History

At eighth century BC, following an important increase in the population in Greece, many emigrants leave to found new cities around the Mediterranean. The south of Italy and Sicily from their agricultural proximity and their richnesses were important sites of installation. The new cities are described as “colonies” by the historians.

The new cities depend on the city-mother only during their establishment. The exchanges (commercial, diplomatic) between the city-mother and the colony were thus made equal footing and it was not rare that the new city did not exceed in richness the city-mother. However a real fraternity linked the colony and its city-mother and which resulted for example in a military aid in the event of attack of the colony or the city-mother. It is the case at the time of the Peloponnesian War when Corinthe sent troops and ships to Syracuse besieged by the Athenians.

Important dates in the history of Large Greece

760 before J. - C. : The first historical colony of the Magna Græcia is Pithécusses (current island of Ischia) founded with 8th before J. - C. by colonists come from Chalcis in Eubée. Actually, the insular establishment of Pithécusses constitutes only one establishment related to commercial where the Greeks côtoient other people in particular merchants phenicians. Cumes, founded towards 750-740 av. JC, thus is sometimes described as older Greek colony of Occident.
510 av. JC : Sybaris is demolished by Crotona whose troops are ordered by the famous athlete Milon of Crotona. The city of Sybaris is destroyed and its population condemned to the exile.
480 av. JC : Hiéron, tyrant of Syracuse, demolishes the troops of Carthage to Himère, in the north of Sicily.
474 av. J. - C. : The fleet carried out by Gélon, tyrant of Syracuse, carries assistance in Cumes threatened by the Etruscans. This victory marks the stop of the Etruscan extension in Campania.
444-443 av. JC. : foundation of Thourioi. An officially panhellenic Athenian forwarding because made up of Greeks originating in the Aegean Islands Actually founds the city of Thourioi., the cities of the Aegean Sea belong to the league of Délos, leagues military under the domination of Athens. The town of Thourioi will shelter important personalities such as Hérodote, Hippodamos de Milet and Lysias.
415-413 av. JC. : Forwarding of Sicily. At the conclusion of a quarrelsome harangue of Alcibiade in front of the demonstrations , the sending of an important fleet against Syracuse is decided. The Peloponnesian War makes rage and Sicily, rich in cereals and horses, must be used as a basis back for the continuation of the war in Greece. The Athenians, carried out by Nicias, Alcibiade and Lamachos, unload in the surroundings of Syracuse and put the seat in front of the city. Many problems arise then with the immense Athenian army: a fleet subjected to severely tested (unloadings and re-embarkations follow one another and the Greek trirèmes suffer from a perviousness), the search for vivres, the harassing of the armies syracusaines and Spartans (arrived in reinforcement). The hesitations of the generals (Nicias mainly more diplomatic than large general) make it possible Syracuse to be strengthened. Two great battles, one terrestrial on the plate of Epiboles and the other naval one in the wearing of Syracuse turn to the profit of the defenders. Demoralized, the Athenians are finally captured. The majority of the Athenian prisoners perished of thirst and hunger in Latomies, immense quarries limestone. With final one estimates at 12.000 the number of Athenians deaths.
282-272 av. JC. : The Greek cities of Italy return in the alliance of Rome, Tarente is conquered by the Romans in spite of the intervention of Pyrrhus (Guerre of Pyrrhus in Italy)
264-241 av. JC. : First Punic War, Rome takes the control of Sicily, except Syracuse, which becomes allied of Rome
215-209 av. JC. : during the Second Punic War, Syracuse then Tarente takes part for Carthage. They are taken by the Romans into 211 after a three year old seat, and into 209. This puts an end to independence cities of Large Greece

The foundation of a news polished

a new city based on a site indicated by the Pythea.

In the facts, a chief of the colonists (the oikistès ) who constitutes the " fondateur" new city is indicated. It comes from the city - mother and order forwarding charged to locate the place most favorable to the installation of the colony. The oikistès consults the oracle of Delphes before the departure and the Pythie delivers its prophecy to him. Thanks to its dires, the oikistès must be able to recognize the place favourable with the installation of the new city.

the search for a favorable geographical position

Actually, the presence of a sheltered bay, a hill likely to accommodate an acropolis and a fertile back-country are decisive criteria for the future of the city. Syracuse was thus founded on almost an easily justifiable island, with a bay which constituted a good port of fastener. The city also profited from a fertile back-country. The foundation of Tarente was done at the only place where a port could be established whereas oracle had predicted a site more in the south (Satyrion).

coexistence with the people not-Greeks

It is proven that pre-colonial contacts with people not-Greeks took place. Generally, the merchants of Phocée or Eubée maintained the friendly contacts with " barbares" or with Phéniciens. The presence of commercial counters with Pithécusses (current Ischia) where of Eubéens metals worked and seem to have supplied in Greek products the people Etrusques. Very often, the foundation of a new city is done with depend on the indigenous population not-Greek. Tarente thus faced the hostility of Iapyges at the time of its installation as prédi had it the oracle of Delphes.

a city organized according to a rational town-planning.

The new city is organized according to a town-planning reflection of the Greek concern for organization. This science of the city organizes places of dwellings, streets and networks water supply (cistern, drains, sewers). Batches of properties (the klèroi ) are also defined. The city is organized according to three spaces: deprived, crowned and the will chôra , territory out of the walls controls by the city. According to the ethnic origin of the Greeks who found the colony there exist notable differences in installation of the city and its territory. Example of Métaponte: a public space (agora and ekklesiasterion) and crowned (devoted to Apollon) placed at the center of the city and covering 6ha. The necropoles are placed outside the city and the whole of the will chôra is divided into farms. Example of Megara Hyblaea: a plan in land registers is fixed in advance. The city is built according to North-South artery and two East-West arteries. Private zones of dwelling and

Dates of foundation of the principal cities of Large Greece (before JC).

Southern Italy: Cumes (750-740), Rhégion (730), Sybaris (720 or 709-708), Crotona (708), Tarente (714 or 706), Locres (673), Métaponte (650-640), Poseidonia (600), Elée/Vélia (540-535).

Sicily: Naxos (734), Zancle (740), Catane (729), Leontinoi (728), Syracuse (734-733 Thucydide or 750 according to archeology), Megara Hyblaea (750), Froze (700-688), Agrigente (580),

Wars between cities of Large Greece

an Achaean league consisted of Crotona, Métaponte and Sybaris destroys Siris

Siris was an Ionian city located at the center of the gulf of Tarente. The city of Métaponte founded by Sybaris was to contain the expansionist policy of Tarente. Actually, the presence of a nonAchaean colony in full sphere of influence of Sybaris as well as the reinforcement of the population of Siris by exiled of Ionie harmed the interests of Sybaris. An Achaean coalition gathering Crotona, Métaponte and Sybaris is made up and close-cropped the city of Siris at the conclusion of a battle located between 570 and 540.

the battle of Sagra

Locres was shown by Crotona to have supported Siris. Locres overcame the troops of Crotona to the battle of Sagra at the beginning of the Life century before JC.

destruction of Sybaris

During the Life century before JC, Sybaris is with its apogee. Strabon speaks about an army of 300.000 men and rampart of 50 stages. However, it is at the time of the secondary colony of Poseidonia by Sybaris that the power of the city shows through. At the time of the foundation of Poseidonia, a convention called treated of Olympie passed between the indigenous Italic people and a federation of cities under the direction of Sybaris. The treaty stipulates thus that 25 cities are placed under the direction of Sybaris. In addition, the opulence of the city became proverbial so much so that certain qualify the life with Sybaris like a declining life ( tryphè ).

Following its defeat of Sagra and on arrival of Pythagore, the community of Crotona resoldered itself. In same time, Sybaris undergoes a political crisis at the conclusion which part of the aristocracy is banished and finds refuge in Crotona. Sybaris then launches a kind of ultimatum to Crotona and requires the extradition of the aristocrats defectors. Pythagore exhorts the city not to be yielded. The war is thus declared between the two cities. The battle takes place at the edge of Traente and in spite of their numerical inferiority, the crotoniates gained the victory. Sybaris will not find any more its splendor of antan.

Arts and thought in Large Greece

Architecture The doric temples of Agrigente and Poséidonia among best are preserved Greek world. Together, they testify to the size of the achievements of these Greeks left to seek better living conditions.

Présocratiques

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