Editing Magna Graecia (section)

===Greek colonisation===

According to [[Strabo]]'s ''[[Geographica]]'', the colonisation of Magna Graecia had already begun by the time of the [[Trojan War]] and lasted for several centuries.<ref name="Strabo">{{cite book|author=Strabo|title=Geographica|chapter=I, Section I|url=http://perseus.uchicago.edu/perseus-cgi/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekFeb2011&query=Str.%201.1.3|language=el|volume=VI|access-date=5 February 2020|archive-date=22 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522133218/http://perseus.uchicago.edu/perseus-cgi/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekFeb2011&query=Str.%201.1.3|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Greeks began to settle in southern Italy in the 8th century BC.<ref name="CerchiaiJannelli2004">{{cite book |author1=Luca Cerchiai |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fH32nSiCue0C |title=The Greek Cities of Magna Graecia and Sicily |author2=Lorena Jannelli |author3=Fausto Longo |publisher=Getty Publications |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-89236-751-1 |pages=7}}</ref> Their first great migratory wave was by the [[Euboea]]ns aimed at the Gulf of Naples ([[Pithecusae]], [[Cumae]]) and the Strait of Messina ([[Zancle]], [[Rhegium]]).<ref>STEFANIA DE VIDO 'Capitani coraggiosi'. Gli Eubei nel Mediterraneo C. Bearzot, F. Landucci, in Tra il mare e il continente: l'isola d'Eubea (2013) ISBN 978-88-343-2634-3</ref> Pithecusae on the island of [[Ischia]] is considered the oldest Greek settlement in Italy, and Cumae their first colony on the mainland of Italy.

The second wave was of the [[Achaea]]ns who concentrated initially on the Ionian coast ([[Metapontum|Metapontion]], [[Poseidonia]], [[Sybaris]], [[Crotone|Kroton]]),<ref>Strabo 6.1.12</ref><ref>Herodotus 8.47</ref> shortly before 720{{nbsp}}BC.<ref name="magna grecia">{{cite web|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/magna-grecia_(Enciclopedia-Italiana)/|title=MAGNA GRECIA|access-date=7 July 2023|language=it}}</ref> At an unknown date between the 8th and 6th centuries BC the Athenians, of Ionian lineage, founded [[Scylletium]] (near today's [[Catanzaro]]).<ref>Strabo, ''[[Geographica]]'', 6.1.10</ref>

With colonisation, [[Greek culture]] was exported to Italy with its dialects of the [[Ancient Greek language]], its religious rites, and its traditions of the independent ''[[polis]]''. An original [[Hellenic civilization]] soon developed, and later interacted with the native [[Italic languages|Italic]] civilisations. The most important cultural transplant was the [[Chalcis|Chalcidean]]/[[Cumaean alphabet|Cumaean]] variety of the [[Greek alphabet]], which was adopted by the [[Etruscans]]; the [[Old Italic alphabet]] subsequently evolved into the [[Latin alphabet]], which became the most widely used alphabet in the world.

====Secondary colonisation====

Over time, due to overpopulation and other political and commercial reasons, the new cities expanded their presence in Italy by founding other Greek cities; effectively expanding the Greek civilisation to the whole territory known today as Magna Graecia.<ref name="magna grecia"/>

Remains of some of these Greek colonies can be seen today such as those of Neapolis ('new city', now [[Naples]]), Syracusae ([[Syracuse, Italy|Syracuse]]), Akragas ([[Agrigento]]), Taras ([[Taranto]]) and Rhegion ([[Reggio Calabria]]).

An intense colonisation program was undertaken by [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]],<ref>{{Cite book|first=Lorenzo|last=Braccesi|title=Grecità adriatica. Un capitolo della colonizzazione greca in Occidente|year=1979|publisher=Pàtron|edition=2nd|page=450|isbn=978-88-555-0935-0|language=it}}</ref> at the time of the tyranny of [[Dionysius I of Syracuse]], around 387–385 BC. This phenomenon affected the entire [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] coast, and in particular led to the foundation in Italy of Ancon (now [[Ancona]]) and [[Adria]]; in the [[Dalmatia]]n coast he saw the foundation of Issa (current [[Vis (town)|Vis]]), Pharus ([[Stari Grad, Croatia|Stari Grad]]), Dimus ([[Hvar (town)|Hvar]]); Lissus (now [[Lezhë]]) was founded on the [[Albania]]n coast. Issa in turn then founded Tragurium (now [[Trogir]]), Corcyra Melaina (now [[Korčula]]) and Epetium (now [[Stobreč]], a suburb of [[Split, Croatia|Split]]).

Rhegium (now [[Reggio Calabria]]) founded Pyxus ([[Policastro Bussentino]]) in [[Lucania]]; [[Locri]] founded Medma ([[Rosarno]]), [[Polistena|Polyxena]] and Hipponium ([[Vibo Valentia]]) in present-day Calabria; Sybaris (now [[Sibari]]) revitalised the indigenous centres of [[Laüs]] and Scydrus in Calabria and founded Poseidonia ([[Paestum]]), in Campania; Kroton (now [[Crotone]]) founded [[Terina (ancient city)|Terina]] and participated in the foundation of [[Caulonia (ancient city)|Caulonia]] (near [[Monasterace]] marina) in Calabria; Messana (now [[Messina]]), in collaboration with Rhegium, founded Metaurus ([[Gioia Tauro]]); Taras together with [[Thurii]] founded Heracleia ([[Policoro]]) in Lucania in 434 BC, and also [[Gallipoli, Apulia|Callipolis]] ('beautiful city').<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/gallipoli_%28Enciclopedia-Italiana%29/|title=Gallipoli|access-date=21 July 2023|language=it}}</ref>