Hegemonia-City States - faction preview - THE CITY OF CROTON
-Nobody ever managed to defeat him nor kneel him...
-quote from Simonides epigram for Milon,hero of Kroton
Croton
Croton (or Kroton in Greek) was a Hellenic colony in Magna Graecia, founded by the Achaeans around 710 B.C in ancient Bruttia, also known as Crotona or Crotone (modern Italian). The city was built on the southern coast of Taranto’s Gulf and quickly became a rich, prosperous and powerful Hellenic city of “Megale Hellada” (Magna Graecia). With a mighty army and navy, Crotonians were sworn enemies of Sybaris, both fighting to win the era’s leadership in southern Italy.
Croton was well-known as a military power, but actually this was not the only thing the city was known for, as the infamous “Father of numbers”, Pythagoras, the famous Ionian mathematician and philosopher (well, some of his Greek rivals didnt really think he was that great...) had his academy established there, after fleeing from Samos and the tyrannical government of Polycrates. Pythagoras was always related with aristocratic factions and followed elitistic ways in his life as much as in selecting his followers and students; this may also have cost him his life. In any case, Pythagoras undertook a reform of the cultural life of Croton, urging the citizens to follow virtue and form an elite circle of followers around himself. Very strict rules of conduct governed this cultural center. His school was open to both male and female students alike. They called themselves the "Mathematikoi" (the Mathematicians); a secret society of sorts.
Crotonians were very well known for producing many generations of great athletes, winning in many Olympic events; one of them was the eminent wrestler Millon of Kroton, 6 times Olympic Champion (his 6th win, at age 40 !!!) in “Pale” (“Hellenic Wrestling”) and “Pagration” (ultimate Hellenic martial art) and also many wins in events at the Pythian games. Millon, had tremendous strength and the people believed he was Heracles’ (Hercules') reincarnation. The tradition says that because of this fact, he used to wear a lion skin and carry a club! He liked to show off his strength, by holding his hand out with fingers outstretched and challenge a couple of men to bend his little finger, but with no effect of course. Also, he would stand on a metal disk on the ground and challenge any man to throw him off ! After his 6th victory in the Olympic Games at the age of 40, he raised a bull in the air over his head, carried it around the whole stadium displaying it, and then....ate it!!! A truly unique character, in "all time Olympic records History"… ! In 510 BC, he lead his city’s army against the rival city of Sybaris and destroyed it completely. Tradition says that the Crotonians used a trick to confuse the strong and numerous Sybarite cavalry and gained a legendary victory. Sybaris remained in ruins until the pan-hellenic colony of Thourioi was established on Sybaris' ancient site.
The symbol of the city,which was the Apollonian Delphic tripod, along with the connection of the local hero with Heracles, both of which are clearly Dorian symbols, contraddict with the Achaian descent of the early colonists of Kroton. But as already stated, the mixing of the hellenic tribes with each other and the adoption of various cultural elements was quite common in ancient Hellas.
Croton was also the only Greek-city of Italy which sent a ship to fight along with the rest of the Greeks in the naval-battle of Salamis, and thus actively took part in the Persian Wars, even if their homes lay far away from the Persian threat. The decline of Croton started with the defeat against the Locrians of Italy, which occurred just after the end of the Persian invasion in Hellas. The city was destroyed during Pyrrhos' wars against the Romans and from 193 B.C, a Roman colony was established there.
Crotonians were powerful men, very athletic; and their army had mighty and strong warriors. Like the Boeotians, they kept training all the time in gymnasiums, so their army’s strength and stamina was kept at a high level. They also researched into health and Croton became well-known for its school of medicine.
Like most of the Hellenic cities established far away from their metropolis (founding-city), the Crotonians came into contact with native cultures and even used local troops, cavalry and long-ranged skirmishers besides their traditional hoplites.
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Enjoy....:juggle2:
Re: Hegemonia-City States - faction preview - THE CITY OF CROTON
There's no light cavalry picture...
Re: Hegemonia-City States - faction preview - THE CITY OF CROTON
Quote:
Originally Posted by BelgradeWar
There's no light cavalry picture...
Thanks for pointing it out BelgradeWar...:dizzy2:
Light Cavalry pic added...
Re: Hegemonia-City States - faction preview - THE CITY OF CROTON
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozz
Thanks for pointing it out BelgradeWar...:dizzy2:
Light Cavalry pic added...
:2thumbsup:
