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B. vi. c. in. $ 4. ITALY. IAPYGIA. TARENTUM. 427 was disclosed they desisted, and the Lacedaemonians per- suaded them, through the instrumentality of their fathers, to leave the country and colonize: and advised them, if they should get possession of a convenient place, to abide in it, but if not, they promised that a fifth part of Messenia should be divided amongst them on their return. So they departed and found the Greeks carrj ing on hostilities against the barba- rians, and taking part in the perils of the war, they obtained possession of Tarentum, which they colonized. 4. At one time, when the government of the Tarentines had assumed a democratic form, they rose to great importance ; for they possessed the greatest fleet of any state in those parts, and could bring into the field an army of 30,000 foot and 3000 horse, exclusive of a select body of 1000 cavalry called Hipparchi. 1 They likewise encouraged the Pythagorean phi- losophy, and Archytas, who for a long time presided over the government of their state, gave it his special support. 2 But at a later period their luxury, which was produced by their prosperity, increased to that degree that their general holidays or festivals exceeded in number the days of the year ; and hence arose an inefficient government, and as one proof of their un- statesmanlike acts we may adduce their employment of foreign generals ; for they sent for Alexander, 3 king of the Molossi, to come and assist them against the Messapii and Leucani. They had before that employed Archidamus, the son of Agesilaus; 4 afterwards they called in Cleonymus 5 and Aga- thocles, 6 and later, when they rose against the Romans, Pyr- rhus. 7 They were not able even to retain the respect of those whom they had invited, but rather merited their disgust. Alexander [of Epirus] was so displeased with them that he endeavoured to remove the seat of the general council of the Greek states in Italy, which was accustomed to assemble at Heraclea, a city of the Tarentines, to a city of the Thurii ; and he commanded that some place on the river Acalandrus, 8 See Heyne, Opusc. Acad. torn. ii. p. 223, not. h. He is said to have entertained Plato during his sojourn here. Archy- tas flourished about the commencement of the fourth century B. c., and was still living in the year 349 B. c. About 332 or 339 B. c. See Heyn. Opusc. Acad. torn. ii. p. 141. About 338 B. c. s About 303 B. c. 6 About 330 B. c. About 281 B. c. Cramer, in his Ancient Italy, has very justly remarked that the name