Magna Graecia

Magna Graecia, or Great Greece, was the belt of Greek colonies founded from the 8th century BC in southern Italy and Sicily, transmitting Greek culture to Italy. Rome absorbed the region by about 200 BC, though Greek speech lingered in the far south for centuries.

Overview

Magna Graecia, or Great Greece, was the belt of Greek colonies founded from the 8th century BC in southern Italy and Sicily. Among them were Cumae, Syracuse (734 BC), Sybaris, Croton, Tarentum (Taras), and Naples (Neapolis).

Key developments

These wealthy cities transmitted Greek culture, the alphabet, coinage, and philosophy to Italy. The philosopher Pythagoras settled at Croton, and in Sicily Syracuse became a major power that even defeated an Athenian expedition in 413 BC; the mathematician Archimedes worked there. The colonies clashed with the native Italic peoples, with Carthage in Sicily, and finally with Rome, and Pyrrhus of Epirus intervened on Tarentum’s side in 280–275 BC.

End and transition

Rome absorbed the region — Tarentum fell in 272 BC and Syracuse in 212 BC, Archimedes being killed in its sack — so that by about 200 BC it was Roman, though Greek speech lingered in the far south for centuries.

Overview

Key developments

End and transition

People