Editing Sybaris (section)

=== Prosperity in the 7th and 6th century BC ===

[[File:SNGANS 841.jpg|thumb|[[Nummus|Noummos]] of Sybaris with characteristic bull symbol, c. 550–510&nbsp;BC]]

Sybaris amassed great wealth and a huge population as a result of its fertile farming land and its policy of admitting aliens to its citizenry. It was the largest Greek city in Italy and may have had 300,000 inhabitants{{sfn|Diodorus Siculus|2010|p=189|loc=12.9.1–2}} although others give a figure of 100,000.<ref name=pssc2 /> The circumference of the city was fifty ''[[Stadion (unit of length)|stadia]]'' (over {{convert|6|miles}}) and the area approximately {{convert|500|ha}}.{{sfn|Hansen|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=oafCBYBbMRgC&pg=PA34 34]}} 

Sybaris was also a dominant power in the region and ruled over 4 tribes and 25 cities.{{sfn|Strabo|1924|loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Strab.+6.1.13 6.1.13]}} Sybaris extended its dominion across the peninsula to the [[Tyrrhenian Sea]], where it is thought to have founded its colonies [[Paestum|Poseidonia]],{{sfn|Strabo|1924|loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Strab.+5.4.13&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0239 5.4.13]}} [[Laüs]]{{sfnm|Strabo|1924|1loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Strab.+6.1.1 6.1.1]|Herodotus|1922|2loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hdt.+6.21.1 6.21.1]}} and [[Scidrus]].{{sfn|Herodotus|1922|loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hdt.+6.21.1 6.21.1]}} Poseidonia was founded in approximately 600 BC,{{sfn|Cerchiai|Jannelli|Longo|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=fH32nSiCue0C&pg=PA62 62]}}{{sfn|Papadopoulos|2002|p=30}} In the second half of the 7th century BC the Sybarites took over from the Oenotrians the sanctuary of [[Athena]] on the [[Timpone della Motta]] as their acropolis, located 15 km to the northwest, where they regularly celebrated large festivals.{{sfn|Kleibrink|Jacobsen|Handberg|2004|p=63}}

Descriptions of the wealth and luxury of Sybaris are plentiful in the ancient literature. Smindyrides was a prominent citizen who is claimed by [[Herodotus]] to have surpassed all other men in refined luxury.{{sfnm|Herodotus|1922|1loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hdt.+6.127.1 6.127.1]}} Diodorus describes him as the wealthiest suitor for the daughter of [[Cleisthenes of Sicyon]]. He sailed from Sybaris to [[Sicyon]] in a ship of fifty oars manned by his own slaves and surpassed even Cleisthenes himself in luxury.{{sfn|Diodorus Siculus|1939|loc=[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/8*.html#18 8.18–19]}} [[Athenaeus]] makes the claim that his entourage consisted of a thousand slaves, fishermen, bird-catchers and cooks.{{sfn|Athenaeus|1854|loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Ath.+6.105 6.105]}} However, his information must be false because he claims to cite Herodotus, who does not mention such a number.{{sfn|Gorman|Gorman|2007|p=39–40}} [[Claudius Aelianus]] even alleges that Smyndirides could not sleep on a bed of rose petals because it gave him [[blister]]s.{{sfn|Claudius Aelianus|1665|loc=[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/aelian/varhist9.xhtml#chap24 9.24]}} Another Sybarite who is known by name is Alcimenes. A [[Pseudo-Aristotle]] mentions that it was said he dedicated a very expensive cloak as a votive offering at the temple of [[Promunturium Lacinium|Lacinian]] [[Hera]].{{sfn|Pseudo-Aristotle|1936|loc=[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Aristotle/de_Mirabilibus*.html#96 96]}} Here Athenaeus distorts the information too: he treats the story as genuine rather than hearsay and attributes it to the real Aristotle.{{sfnm|1a1=Athenaeus|1y=1854|1loc=[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Ath.+12.58 12.58]|2a1=Gorman|2a2=Gorman|2y=2007|2p=48–49}}

[[Justin (historian)|Justin]] mentions an alliance of Sybaris with the other Achaean colonies [[Metapontum]] and [[Crotone|Kroton]] against the [[Ionians|Ionian]] colony [[Siris (Magna Graecia)|Siris]]. This resulted in the conquest of Siris in the middle of the sixth century BC.{{sfnm|Justin|1853|1loc={{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20030902204923/http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justin/english/trans20.html#2 20.2]}} |Wilson|2013|2p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=8pXhAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA443 443]}} In the second half of the sixth century BC Sybaris started minting its first coins, of which the oldest have been dated to approximately 530 BC. These coins employed the Achaean weight standard which was shared with the other Achaean colonies Kroton, [[Caulonia (ancient city)|Caulonia]] and Metapontum.{{sfn|Papadopoulos|2002|p=38}}