Storiascopio · Era 4 of 12 · primary year 4
Greek colonies in the West
about 750 BC · Cumae and Pithekoussai, Campania (Italy)
In short
Around the middle of the 8th century BC groups of Greeks left their cities in search of new land to farm and ports for trade. They founded colonies along the coasts of southern Italy and Sicily, such as Pithekoussai on the island of Ischia, Cumae, Syracuse and Taranto. These lands later became known as Magna Graecia, ‘Great Greece’. Each colony was an independent city, but it stayed linked to the mother city its founders had come from.
Why it matters Thanks to the colonies, the Greek language, alphabet and art reached Italy and, from there, the Romans.
Source: Treccani, entry “Magna Grecia”
Where we are in the era “Sea civilisations”
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about 2000 BCEvent 20 of 25about 500 BC
Your turn
Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________
When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:
Tell it in your own words: what happened?
Draw the scene below.
storiascopio.com/en/event/greek-colonies-in-the-west/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class