Epizephyrian Locris

About

Epizephyrian Locris (Ancient Greek: Λοκροὶ Ἐπιζεφύριοι, romanized: Lokroì Epizephúrioi, lit. 'Western Locrians'), also known as Locri Epizephyrii or simply Locri, was an ancient Greek city in Southern Italy, located in Calabria on the Ionian Sea. The city was established as a Greek colony at the beginning of the 7th century BC by settlers from Locris in central Greece. The modern town of Locri derives its name from this ancient settlement. The city was a center of Magna Graecia during the Classical and Hellenistic periods. Locri was home to athletes who achieved distinction in the Panhellenic Games. Ancient authors who referred to Locri include Strabo, Pausanias, Eusebius of Caesarea, Plutarch, Polybius, and Diodorus Siculus. Additional references to the city were identified in documents discovered at Olympia, Greece in 2018.

The Locri Epizephyrii archaeological site is in Mandorleto, a frazione of the modern town of Locri, approximately 3 km southwest of the town centre. It is located between the Portigliola and Gerace rivers, between the Ionian Sea and the hills of Castellace, Abbadessa, and Manella.

Locri was the last of the Greek colonies founded in Calabria, following a wave of colonization by Achaeans from the Ionian coast ( Metapontion, Poseidonia, Sybaris, Kroton ) shortly before 720 BC. The first settlement was founded near Cape Zefirio (the current Cape Bruzzano ).

Later, the colonists moved north, close to the Epopis hill, where they founded a city named "Epizephyrioi". The indigenous populations of the Sicels were driven out.

Scholars hold contrasting views of the colonists' origins. Some argue that they might have come from Opuntian Locris, while others believe they originated in Ozolian Locris in whole or in part. Many believe that the settlers were Helots. The dispute is based on different ancient sources.

Locri functioned under a political model similar to that of Locris. A conservative militarist aristocracy exercised power through the so-called "Assembly of a Thousand", which was probably composed of citizens enjoying full political rights. The population was organised into three tribes and thirty-six phratries.

The Epizephyrian Locris legal system was based on the legislation of Zaleucus, c. 660 BC and used a written, codified set of laws.

The system used the law of retaliation (Latin: lex talionis ), imposing specific penalties for each crime committed in an attempt to prevent serial family feuds and private vengeance, which was customary at the time. The system also placed a much higher value on the role and social prestige of women within Epizephyrian Locrian society. This is seen in their role in the city's cults and their right to perpetuate inheritance and the name of a family over time, even in the absence of male heirs. The nobility also used matrilineality to trace its lineage. [ citation needed ]

In 7th century BC, the development of the city was underway, expanding from the hills onto the plain closer to the sea, based on an organized urban plan. Its sanctuaries and cults became well-known across the Greek world, particularly two sanctuary estates: one dedicated to Persephone (who was worshipped as the protector of fertile marriage, a role typically associated with Hera ), and one to Aphrodite.

The city's stability led to an expansion of control over the territory through the establishment of sub-colonies. This was driven by a desire for greater control of the area and a need to counter the threat of expansion of their enemy in Kroton. This was made possible by the city's notable demographic growth, which risked disrupting the existing fragile balance. Thus, it extended its control from the Ionian coast to the Tyrrhenian side of present-day Calabria; founding the two colonies of Medma (today Rosarno) and Hipponion (modern-day Vibo Valentia) between 650 and 600 BC. This was likely built on existing settlements, occupying Metauros (modern-day Gioia Tauro), previously established as a colony of Zancle (Messina) or Rhegion (Reggio Calabria).

At the Battle of the Sagra (560–550 BC), Locri emerged victorious, halting Kroton's territorial expansions, and establishing Locri as a new power in the region. Following this victory, the cult of the Dioscuri began to be observed in both Rhegion and Locri. During excavations of the Ionic temple of Marasà in Locri Epizephyrii, two marble acroteria statues were found, which may represent the twin sons of Zeus ; these are now housed in the National Museum of Magna Graecia, Reggio.

Locri expanded its control further north than ever before. It incorporated Kaulon, and likely Skylletion on the Ionian coast, as well as probably Terina, and Temesa on the Tyrrhenian coast, thereby gaining control over the territory between the Gulfs of Squillace and Sant’Eufemia. This led to a period of significant prosperity in the second half of the 6th century BC.

Locri established alliances with the Deinomenids (485–465 BC) of Syracuse and later with Dionysius I and his son Dionysius II. In 477 BC, Anaxilas of Rhegion (modern day Reggio Calabria ) prepared to attack Locri. Locri turned to Hieron I of Syracuse for help and successfully dissuaded Anaxilas.

The 4th century BC was a period of artistic, economic, and cultural splendor for Locri. Inhabitants of note included the poet Nossis and the philosophers Echecrates, Timaeus, and Acrion, founders of a flourishing Pythagorean school (introduced to Locri at the time of Dionysius I). Plato visited Locri.

- See also: Roman expansion in Italy The weakness of Syracuse left the Greek cities of southern Italy particularly vulnerable, as they were unprepared for the threat of the Bruttii, Samnites, and Lucanians. Fearing for their survival and distrusting the Italiote League, the Greek cities asked for help from Rome, which exploited this opportunity to extend its control southward by sending military garrisons. Locri received such a Roman garrison before 282 BC.

In 280 BC, Pyrrhus invaded southern Italy to honour an alliance with Tarentum from the earlier Roman-Semite war. The shifting balance of power led Locri to ally with Pyrrhus, expelling the Roman garrison in protest of its dependence on Rome. However, the failure of Pyrrhus’s campaign, coupled with the growing unpopularity of his rule due to increasingly tyrannical behaviour, led Locri to surrender once again to Rome in 277 BC.

In 272 BC, Rome established a new garrison in Locri and, in return for their military support, made only moderate demands from the cities of Magna Graecia—exempting them from providing men for the legions and only requesting the supply of ships when needed. Therefore, Locri became a socia navalis of Rome, remaining independent, while retaining its Greek characteristics, and continuing to mint its own money. In 264 BC, Locri provided several transport ships for Rome in the First Punic War, honouring their treaty.

After the defeat of the Romans at Cannae (216 BC), Locri sided with the Carthaginians, swayed by Hannibal's promises of freedom and independence. Hannibal's priority was to conquer an outlet to the sea in Bruttium and, in the winter of 216/215 BC after abandoning plans to capture Rhegium, ordered Hanno to seize Locri.

Hanno sent cavalry forward under Hamilcar to capture the population outside the city walls, and thus a large number of prisoners were used to secure the unconditional surrender of the city. At the same time, the Locrians secretly allowed the Roman garrison, commanded by Lucius Atilius, to board ships to escape the city and go to Rhegium. Locri was thus granted significant autonomy, maintaining the port under its control, and being able to govern itself provided that it supported the Carthaginian forces.

The cities of southern Italy were gradually retaken by the Romans and, after the Battle of the Metaurus, Locri was the last great city still in the hands of Hannibal. However, the army sent in 208 BC to support a naval expedition to recover Locri, led by Lucius Cincius Alimentus, was annihilated near Petelia. The two Roman consuls, Marcellus and Titus Quinctius Crispinus, were killed near the Carthaginian camps. The naval expedition reached Locri, and besieged it, but fled on the arrival of Hannibal.