The Greeks began settling in Southern Italy during the 8th–7th centuries BC,

The Greeks began settling in Southern Italy during the 8th–7th centuries BC, establishing colonies in regions like Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata, Campania, and Sicily. This area became known as “Magna Graecia” (Great Greece) by the Romans, as Greek culture flourished and laid the groundwork for future Roman advancements. The fertile lands and ideal trading location attracted Greek colonists, who quickly established wealthy and powerful cities, such as Sybaris, Kroton, Locri, and Rhegion along the coast of Calabria.

Rhegion (modern-day Reggio Calabria) was home to prominent cultural and intellectual figures, including Ibycus, one of the nine famous lyric poets, and renowned academies in philosophy, art, and science, like the Pythagorean School. Today, Reggio Calabria houses the National Archaeological Museum of Magna Grecia, featuring notable artifacts like the Riace Bronzes—full-sized statues of Greek warriors from around 2,500 years ago.

Kroton (now Crotone) was famous for its athletic prowess, producing legendary Olympians such as Milo of Croton and Astylos. The city’s wealth and strength were bolstered by its position between a fertile countryside and a natural port. Kroton was also a major center of philosophy and medicine, being the home of Pythagoras’s philosophical school and the most advanced medical school of the time. Visitors today can explore the remnants of Magna Graecia at the sanctuary of Hera Lacinia on Capo Colonna, near present-day Crotone.

Although Magna Graecia was absorbed into the Roman Republic around the 3rd century BC, traces of Greek culture persisted. Remarkably, some Greek traditions and language, like the Griko dialect, have survived in villages in Calabria and Apulia. Griko, a blend of Doric, Byzantine Greek, and Italian, is still spoken by a small community today.

This 5th-century BC Greek terracotta relief, or “Pinax,” from Locri in Calabria, depicts a woman placing her robe in a chest, symbolizing trousseau preparation in ancient Greek culture. Now on display at the Museo Nazionale Della Magna Grecia.

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