Italian Confederation
The Italiotische Bund was a politico-military alliance of some Greek cities of the Magna Graecia for defense against the Lucanians and against Dionysius I , the tyrant of Syracuse . The merger took place in 393 BC. And included at least the cities of Rhegion , Croton , Thurioi , Hipponion , Kaulonia and Elea , with the leading role being played by Kroton , who organized the meetings of the Alliance in the nearby Lakinion , the Hera sanctuary.
A membership of the city of Herakleia , a colony of Taranto , at this time can be assumed based on coin finds, but there is no evidence of Taranto itself. Rather, it is more likely that Taranto benefited from the clashes between the federal cities and the Lucanians allied with Dionysius.
It was not until some time after the fall of Croton, which took place in 379 BC. Was defeated and occupied by Dionysius, the site of the Italian Federal Assembly was moved to Herakleia. There is no direct evidence for this, but one concludes from the fact that Alexander the Molossian , 334 to 331 BC. BC stood as a mercenary leader in the service of Tarent, wanted to move the assembly from Herakleia to Thurii after he had fallen out with his former employers.
The close connection between Taranto and his colony Herakleia in turn results in a leadership of Taranto in the Italian League for the time after the conquest of Croton, which may have been encouraged and supported by Dionysius.
literature
- Carl Huffman: Archytas of Tarentum . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2005, ISBN 0-521-83746-4 .