In the early times of Rome, while she was but little known, it had
been the custom of Greece to send colonies away to relieve the
pressure of too rapid increase. We find them in Spain, France, Asia
Minor, and especially in Sicily and Southern Italy, where the country
became so thoroughly Grecianized that it was called MAGNA GRAECIA.
Here were many flourishing cities, as Tarentum, Sybaris, Croton, and
Thurii. These had, at the time of their contact with Rome, greatly
fallen from their former grandeur, owing partly to the inroads of
barbarians from the north, partly to civil dissensions, and still more
to their jealousy of each other; so that they were unable to oppose
any firm and united resistance to the progress of Rome. It had been
their custom to rely largely upon strangers for the recruiting and
management of their armies,--a fact which explains in part the ease
with which they were overcome.

Of these cities TARENTUM was now the chief. With it a treaty had been
made by which the Tarentines agreed to certain limits beyond which
their fleet was not to pass, and the Romans bound themselves not to
allow their vessels to appear in the Gulf of Tarentum beyond the
Lacinian promontory. As usual, the Romans found no difficulty in
evading their treaty whenever it should profit them.

Thurii was attacked by the Lucanians, and, despairing of aid from
Tarentum, called on Rome for assistance. As soon as domestic
affairs permitted, war was declared against the Lucanians, and the
wedge was entered which was to separate Magna Graecia from Hellas, and
deliver the former over to Rome.

Pretending that the war was instigated by Tarentum, Rome decided to
ignore the treaty, and sent a fleet of ten vessels into the Bay of