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The foundation of Taras - 706 B.C.

Taras is founded 706 B.C. by Dorian immigrants as the only Spartan colony, and its origin is peculiar: the founders were partheniae, sons of unmarried Spartan women and perioeci (free men, but not citizens of Sparta); these unions were decided by the Spartans to increase the number of soldiers (only the citizens of Sparta could become soldiers) during the bloody Messenian wars, but later they were nullified, and the sons were forced to leave. Phalanthus, the parthenian leader, went to Delphi to consult the oracle: the puzzling answer designated the harbour of Taranto as the new home of the exiles. The Partheniae arrived in Apulia, and founded the city, naming it Taras after the son of the Greek sea god, Poseidon, and of a local nymph, Satyrion. According to other sources, Heracles founded the city. Another tradition indicates Taras as the founder of the city; the symbol of the Greek city (as well as of the modern city) is Taras riding a dolphin. Taranto increased its power, becoming a commercial power and a sovereign city of Magna Graecia, ruling over the Greek colonies in southern Italy.

City Name	Name Greek	Founded Date:	Founded By:	Part Of:	Modern City Name:
Gela		688 B.C.	Rhodes and Crete	Magna Graecia, Italy	Gela
Neapolis	Νεάπολις (New City)	c700 B.C.	Cuma	Magna Graecia, Italy	Naples
Syracuse	Συρακούσαι	733 B.C.	Corinth	Magna Graecia, Italy
Akragas		582-580 Β.C.	Gela	Magna Graecia, Italy	Agrigento
Sybaris	Σύβαρις	720 B.C.		Magna Graecia, Italy
Taras - Tarentum	Τάρας	706 B.C.	Sparta	Magna Graecia, Italy	Taranto
Locri	Λοκροί	680 B.C.	Locrians and Lacedaemonians	Magna Graecia, Italy	Locri
Rhegion	Ρήγιον	c800 B.C.		Magna Graecia, Italy	Reggio
Kroton	Κρότων	c710 B.C.	Archaea	Magna Graecia, Italy	Crotone
Thurii	Θούριοι	452 B.C.	Sybaris	Magna Graecia, Italy	Thurii
Elea	Ελέα	540 B.C.	Elea	Magna Graecia, Italy	Velia
Ancona	Αγκων	390 B.C.	Syracuse	Magna Graecia, Italy	Ancona
Massalia	Μασσαλία	600 B.C.	Phocaea	France	Marseille
Cyrene		c630 B.C.	Thera	North Africa	Hero. 4.150-158
Naucratis			Halicarnassus, Mytilene, Rhodes	Egypt	Hero. 2.178
Cumae		750 B.C.	Euboea	Southern Italy
Naxus		734 B.C.	Chalcis	Sicily
Corcyra		733 B.C.	Corinth

 

 

 

cont...the Second Messenian War

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