Читать книгу The Herodotus Encyclopedia - Группа авторов - Страница 241

HEINZ‐GÜNTHER NESSELRATH

University of Göttingen

Alalia (modern Aleria) on the east coast of Corsica (CYRNUS) was founded by settlers from PHOCAEA in Asia Minor around 560 BCE (1.165.1), although traces of preceding habitation of early Iron Age date have been found as well (Asheri in ALC, 185). Twenty years later a large additional body of Phocaeans arrived (1.166.1); these new settlers came in order to avoid becoming part of the expanding Persian Empire. The newcomers established additional sanctuaries, but their continuous raids on neighboring populations in the subsequent years led to an alliance between the Etruscans and CARTHAGE, who mounted an expedition of 120 ships against Alalia. The Phocaeans went against them with 60 ships of their own; but in the ensuing naval battle (one of the earliest recorded major military engagements of this kind, possibly alluded to in Thuc. 1.13.6) they lost 40 of their ships, and the remaining 20 were rendered useless because their rams were severely damaged (a “Cadmeian” victory, Hdt. 1.166.2). Realizing that they could not withstand another attack, the Phocaeans evacuated Alalia and moved to RHEGIUM at the southwestern tip of ITALY (1.166.3) and from there to ELEA (Hyele/Velia, 1.167.3). Whether all Greeks left is “disputed by archaeologists” (Asheri in ALC, 185). In any case the Etruscans seem now to have been the dominant power on the spot, until the Romans took over in 259 BCE.

SEE ALSO: Agyllaeans; Cadmeians; Colonization; Migration; Naval Warfare; Tyrrhenians