Apulia
A district which included, in its widest signification, the whole of the southeast of
Italy from the river Frento to the promontory Iapygium. In its narrower sense it was the
country east of Samnium, on both sides of the Aufidus, the Daunia and Peucetia of the Greeks;
the southeast part was called Calabria by the Romans. The Greeks gave the name of Daunia to
the north part of the country from the Frento to the Aufidus, of Peucetia to the country from
the Aufidus to Tarentum and Brundusium, and of Iapygia or Messapia to the whole of the
remaining southern part; though they sometimes included under Iapygia all Apulia in its widest
meaning. The country was very fertile, especially in the neighbourhood of Tarentum, and the
mountains afforded excellent pasturage. The population was of a mixed nature: they were for
the most part of Illyrian origin, and are said to have settled in the country under the
guidance of Iapyx, Daunius, and Peucetius, three sons of an Illyrian king, Lycaon.
Subsequently many towns were founded by Greek colonists. The Apulians joined the Samnites
against the Romans, and became subject to the latter on the conquest of the Samnites.
