Locri Epizephiri, a city-state on the Ionian Sea, established settlements on the Tyrrhenian coast and routes across the peninsula of Calabria. Although some scholars have questioned the importance of land routes over the peninsula, this study indicates these itineraries were vital, particularly during the Classical period when Locri came into conflict with Rhegium, master of the Straits of Messina. This study examines Locri’s struggles for supremacy of the Tyrrhenian coast and investigates the major routes in Locri’s territory between the Ionian (...) and Tyrrhenian seas. Much evidence for the itineraries is from the authors’ explorations on the ground in Calabria. (shrink)

Polybius and Diodorus each cite a league of Italiote city-states while chronicling events of the fifth and fourth centuries bc respectively. Scholarly opinion holds that the authors describe the same alliance. This article argues that each ancient historian refers to a different alliance with dissimilar goals. Evidence is marshaled to show that Polybius's fifth-century league was not formed to combat an Italic threat, as is commonly stated by modern authors. Three Achaean states established this alliance to counter their aggressive Italiote (...) neighbors, Thurii and Locri, both of whom were supported by major powers. By the first part of the fourth century, however, the situation in southern Italy had changed dramatically, and the growing power of Dionysius I as well as Italic people threatened the Italiotes. Diodorus describes another alliance formed by a larger group of Italiote states to counter a different set of enemies. (shrink)

Although it is frequently asserted that Greek poleis routinely laid legal claim to marine fisheries or even territorial waters, making them subject to special taxes and regulation, these assertions have little or no foundation in the evidence. For Greek fishermen the sea was freely and openly accessible, a fact that reflects the limited regulatory reach of ancient poleis. This evidence for the legal status of the sea and its fisheries is mirrored by our evidence for the status of marine fishermen, (...) conceived of as comprising distinct communities existing largely outside the legal and social structures of the polis. (shrink)