other · Italy
Italiote League
Origins
The Greek cities of southern Italy, the Italiotes, drew together in the late 5th century BCE as Oscan-speaking Lucanians pressed on their territory and Syracuse grew ambitious. The Achaean cities, led by Croton, formed the core, with a common sanctuary at the temple of Hera Lacinia near Croton.
Rule and society
Members pledged to help any city attacked by the Lucanians, and Diodorus says the generals of a city that failed to send help were to be put to death. Its army was defeated by the Lucanians near Laus in 389 BCE and, in the same year, by Dionysius I at the Elleporus river, after which he dismantled Kaulonia and Hipponion. In the mid-4th century BCE Taras took the lead and moved the league's seat to Heraclea, hiring generals from Greece.
Decline and legacy
Under Tarentine leadership the league drew in Pyrrhus against Rome in 280 BCE. After his departure and the surrender of Taras in 272 BCE, the Greek cities became separate allies of Rome and the league ceased to exist.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (4)
- Croton was part of Italiote League430 BCE – 277 BCE
- Metapontum was part of Italiote League430 BCE – 272 BCE
- Taras was part of Italiote League380 BCE – 272 BCE
- Italiote League was conquered by Roman Republic272 BCE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Italiote League. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italiote-league
- MLA
- “Italiote League.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italiote-league. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Italiote League.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italiote-league.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Italiote League’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italiote-league (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻