Thurii

views updated

Thurii (thyōō´rēī), ancient city of Magna Graecia, S Italy, in Bruttium, on the Gulf of Tarentum (now Taranto). It was founded by Pericles in 443 BC to replace ruined Sybaris. New Greek colonists came, among them the city planner Hippodamus and possibly Herodotus and Lysias. Thurii became an ally of Rome and was pillaged (204 BC) by Hannibal. Rome revived (193 BC) the colony, but it did not thrive.