Walker - 1967 - A geography of Italy

SETTLEMENT AND COLONIZATION
tion, they established a firm base in western Sicily whence they frequently
menaced the very existence o f the Greek cities until they were finally expelled by
the Romans. The first Greek settlement in Italy was at Cumae, which itself
founded daughter colonies at Neapohs and Puteoli. During the eighth and
seventh centuries numerous city colonies were estabhshed on the coasts of
PUNIC
ROMAN
Fig. I. A - Spheres before the emergence of Rome. B - Spheres immediately before the
Gaulish attack. C-Extended Roman sphere from the Gaulish incursion to the Pyrrhic
Wars. D - Roman sphere 170 BC
Sicily up to the Punic zone, roughly east o f a line joining Himera and Selinus;
on the mainland others occupied the coast from Campania to Apulia and so
thoroughly Hellenized the area that it became known as Magna Graecia. The
almost notorious prosperity o f these Greek cities was based on agriculture which
provided a rich export o f wine, grain, oUve oil, flax, wool and timber. Some were
able to exploit the commercial possibilities offered by their position; Zancle
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