Founded by the Acheis of the Peloponneso between the VII and the VI  cen. before Christ, it was one of the most ancient and florid Greek colonies in Great Greece. Joined with Sibari and Crotone, in 530 succeeded in defeating Siris (situated on the hill of the today's Policoro - Mt -), taking possession  of big

part of its territory. It entertained Pitagora becoming an important center of diffusion of his philosophical-mathematics theories. It was in continuous contrast with Taranto. Together with Eraclea and to Thurii it was allied of Annibale. After the Roman defeat of Reeds (216 a.Cs.), the Metapontinis were particularly active beside the Carthaginian ones: they contributed to the realization of the great military camp, they captured some Roman ships and they watched over on the citizens and the imprisoned soldiers of Annibale. It was in the camp metapontino that the Romans, in 207, they threw the head of Asdrubale - brother of Annibale -, done defeated and killed in the battle of the Metauro (river of the Marche). After the wars puniche was taken back by the Romans and it had involved in the clashes of the servile war, between the first one and the second century AD, with devastations and slaughters from Spartaco (? - 71 a.Cs.). it was town hall; but, in imperial age, lost every importance.

PITAGORA AND METAPONTO

Surrounded by a legendary halo, Pitagora was a complex and unusual figure of philosopher and scientist. His school was above all a sect a religious association, whose doctrine was considered a secret to which could enter only the followers that however could not divulge it. The tradition has to this point overloaded the figure of Pitagora of legendary elements that succeeds difficult to do a reliable historical reconstruction of him. However he died around the 495 a.C. to Metaponto (the temple of Apollo Licio is probably its funeral monument, the cenotaph). Metapontum - founded by the Acheis - was one of the most important cities in Great Greece and it was, really with Pitagora, crib of civilization and country of the philosophy, as it was - always in the You century a.C. Velia - on the coast tirrenica, the ancient Elea of the Eleatica school.