The origins of Reggio Calabria

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After this defeat, the inhabitants of Rhegion lost confidence in Micytus. The sons of Anaxilas, now adults, exiled him and took the government of the city in their hands. However in short time due to their vile tyranny the people rebelled against them and they were expelled from Rhegion. Even Messana rebelled and regained her freedom. Rhegion thus became a moderate democracy and allied with Athens.

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Anaxilas tried to increase the supremacy of Rhegion by subduing Lokroi and allying himself with the Carthaginians, enemies of Syracuse. However the Syracusans supported succesfully the Lokrians and defeated the Carthaginians at Himera. Anaxilas died shortly after and his two young sons where left under the guardianship of his sage counselor Mycitus, who became the effective ruler of the city.

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While Syracuse was growing more powerful, Rhegion needed new partners for defending and increasing her commercial interests. Micytus made an alliance with Taranto, and founded the colony of Pixous on the Tyrrenian Sea.  But Taranto was attacked by the nearby Japigians, and Rhegion had to send in Apulia her best citizens to fight alongside her ally. But in the Battle of Manduria the armies of Rhegion and Taranto were catastrophically defeated. The historian Herodotus called this "the greatest slaughter of the Greeks".

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As time elapsed, the cities of Magna Grecia started to wield for power and fight many wars among them. After defeating and destroying the rich Sybaris, Kroton in search for supremacy attacked Lokroi. The Lokrensians asked Rhegion for help, and in the Battle of the Sagra together defeated the strong Krotoniates. They thanked the heroic warriors Castor and Pollux, twin sons of Zeus, for their glorious victory.

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Final Verification After reading this book and reflecting, answer to this quiz:

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Once upon a time in Greece, there was a great famine, the people of Chalchis were starving, they had to leave their country to survive. They asked the Oracle of Delphi what to do, and She replied: "Travel the sea, until you will find a male embraced to a female: stop there, because Apollon gives to you the Ausonian Land".

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After the foundation of the city, the inhabitants of Rhegion started to expand their territory. They conquered the rock of Scylla, and the mountains of western Aspromonte. With a strong position on the Strait, Rhegion became a succesfull commercial city, while the hinterland furnished agricultural and pastoral products, timber and metals.

They sailed the Ionian Sea and in the summer come near to the strait of Scylla and Charybdis, then stopped their ships at the mouth of the Apsias, the most holy of the rivers. There they found a fig embraced to a vine. This was the place indicated by the God where to build their city, and called it Rhegion.

In the meantime, many other Greeks left their lands to find new places to live. They come to Southern Italy, Sicily and the whole Mediterranean Sea, settled down and founded famous and powerful cities, Taranto, Syracuse, Lokroi, Kroton, Messana, Sybaris and many others. They kept connections with their fatherland and became accomplished in both war and commerce, conquered other peoples and spread their culture. Magna Grecia was born.

Anaxilas was not only a fighter but also a man of culture who befriended poets, welcomed the Pytagoreans expelled from Kroton and a famous athlete who won the mule chariot race at the Olympiads.

While Rhegion grew rich and powerful, the aristocratic rulers of the city became more corrupt. Hence arose Anaxilas the Messenian, a brave leader who supported by the people overthrowed the oligarchy. He conquered Zankle, renamed her Messana in honor of his ancestors, and Rhegion became the mistress of the Strait.