Taras

Taras is a Greek polis in Southern Italia or Magna Graecia. It is the largest city in Southern Italia, and the largest of the Greek colonies in the region, and the only successful colony ever to be planted by Sparta. During a rather desperate war in early Greek history the Spartans increased their citizenship quota and allowed a number of half blood helots into the ranks of the Spartiates. When the war ended these ‘Lesser Spartans’ were expelled and so travelled to Southern Italia and established the colony in probably the best harbour in southern Italy, boasting both an inner and outer harbour, a narrow defensible peninsula for the great mass of the city and of course a splendid steep sided hill for the Acropolis.

Taras is currently ruled by a radical democracy, which meets daily to discuss the business of the city. These meetings frequently end in civil disturbances. Taras is rich from its controlling position astride east - west trade routes from Sicily to Hellas. Few merchant captains sail from the Tyrrhenian sea to the Aegean without spending a night in the outer harbour of Taras. The Tarantine navy of 60 old fashioned triremes keeps these waters clear of pirates and exacts a lenient customs duty.

Most of the free Greek Polis of Southern Italia follow Taras’ lead on foreign policy, although this can never be guaranteed. A more exciting development in Tarantine foreign policy was its joining the Hellenic league in 308. After a meeting between Niceas of Taras, Queen Leonida & a Thessalanian named Achilles (who was killed at the battle of Athens) the framework of the Hellenic league was drawn up.

In exchange for several trade concessions Sparta sent several of its captains to train the Tarantine army. Although they remain a volunteer amateur force they are not as contemptible as some citizen militias thanks to this training. (Although some records show a paper strength of 33,000 The Tarantine army in this period can field around 10,000 to 15,000 effectives.) They fight in the traditonal Hoplite style, ie: a single massive assualt by heavy infantry, designed not so much to punch through an enemy line as to destroy it in detail along its entire length - needless to say this is no longer as effective as it once was.

When Athens revolted against Macedonian rule and joined the Hellenic league Tarantine troops were part of the relief force that marched north to lift the siege of Athens by Macedonian troops, although by the time they arrived the Macedonians had withdrawn.

Meanwhile in Italia an assassination attempt was made on the life of Roman Dictator Oppius Laebinus Bellicus. After torture these assassins claimed to have been sent from Rhegium and Croton, Greek cities in Bruttium. Oppius visited Taras to demand that Taras remained neutral whilst he ‘punished’ Rhegium and Croton. Niceas of Taras however, who had manipulated the assembly into letting him speak to the Roman dictator alone announced that he did not believe the assassins were from Rhegium and Croton, claiming assassins were naturally untrustworthy.

After Oppius stormed out of this meeting the Citizens of Taras understood a state of war to exist between them and Rome, and Niceas sent for Alexander IV, son of Alexander the Great, whom Niceas had met in Athens after the siege. Alexander arrived with a combined Hellenic force and together they launched a pre-emptive attack on Roman territory. This attack has been going very well, Alexander proving to be a new, umm, Alexander.