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The Founding of Cumae (750 BCE) - Euboean Expansion in the Western Mediterranean
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In the mid-8th century BCE, Greek colonization was reshaping the Mediterranean world. Among the earliest and most significant settlements was Cumae (modern Cuma, near Naples, Italy), founded around 750 BCE by Greek settlers from the island of Euboea, specifically from the cities of Chalcis and Eretria.
The Euboeans were among the most active Greek traders and explorers of the early Archaic period. They had already established trade networks with the Levant, Egypt, and Italy before founding permanent colonies. Their strategic interest in the western Mediterranean—particularly the metal-rich regions of Etruria and the fertile lands of Campania—drove them to establish a foothold in Italy.
Cumae was strategically located on the coast of Campania, near the Phlegraean Fields, a volcanic area that provided natural defenses. It was the first permanent Greek colony on the Italian mainland, predating even Syracuse in Sicily. The settlement was likely established as an outpost to facilitate trade with the Etruscans and local Italic peoples, such as the Oscans.
The colony may have initially been a vassal or dependency of the Euboean mother cities, meaning it retained political and economic ties to Chalcis and Eretria. Over time, however, Cumae grew into an independent and powerful city, influencing the cultural and political landscape of southern Italy.
Cumae remained a major Greek city in Italy until its decline under Roman rule. However, its early establishment marked the beginning of Magna Graecia—the network of Greek colonies that would dominate southern Italy for centuries.
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