Historica Wiki
Advertisement

The Rhegian-Crotonese War was a war fought between the Greek poleis of Rhegion and Croton in Magna Graecia (southern Italy) from 399 to 398 BC. Ancient Greek Rhegion was a major power in southern Italy, reigning over Rhegion (Reggio Calabria), Locri, Hipponion (Vibo Valentia), and Skyllition (Squillace), and commanding a sizable fleet and army. At the start of the 4th century BC, it seemed likely that Rhegion's potential greatest rival would be the Sicilian Greek city-state of Syracuse, and the Rhegian archon Euphemios initially declined Syracusan offers for a trade agreement or non-aggression pact, anticipating conflict in the south. However, Syracuse was tied down by its war with Carthage in western Sicily (and later by its war with Agyrion in northeastern Sicily), enabling Euphemios to instead focus his attention on consolidating his power in southern Italy. In 399 BC, Euphemios declared war on Croton, hoping to unify Calabria under his rule. As the only accounts of the war come from Syracuse, there is little surviving information on the execution of the war, although, in 398 BC, Rhegion and Croton agreed to set aside their differences and stop fighting. Croton maintained its independence, and Rhegion's northward expansion was checked; meanwhile, Syracuse succeeded in conquering Agyrion, and the rise of Syracuse as the preeminent power in Sicily led to the frustrated Rhegian archon Euphemios finally agreeing to establish trade with Syracuse, staving off a potential future conflict between the two poleis.

Advertisement