Italiote league

The Italiote League of city-states was founded in about 430 BC[1] by several Greek Achaean colonies in southern Italy.

[2] This region of Italiotes (Italian Greek-speakers) was part of what was later called Magna Graecia by the Romans.

It was formed probably to protect the cities from incursions by the Lucanians, a new and formidable enemy who defeated the army of Thurii in 390 BC.

[3] It consisted of at least Kroton, Kaulon, Thurii, Metapontum, Elea, Hipponion, Rhegion, Poseidonia, Taras and Heraclea.

Diodorus may describe another league, or a reorganised one, founded in 393 BC by a larger group of Italiote states, to counter a different set of enemies, especially Dionysius I of Syracuse supported by the Lucanians.