Greater Greece: southern Italy and Sicily
Over a period of two centuries, from about 750 to 550 B.C., the Greeks founded colonies on the coasts of southern Italy and Sicily. Their motives were probably overpopulation and a scarcity of agricultural land in Greece. The Romans called the areas of Sicily and southern Italy inhabited by Greeks Magna Graecia or Greater Greece.
The colonists took their language and religion with them, and introduced the olive tree and the grapevine into Italy. Above all, the colonies were agricultural communities and produced much grain which was exported to Greece in exchange for wine and pottery, among other things. In the fifth and sixth centuries Magna Graecia prospered enormously, but during the third century the Romans captured most of the towns.

Pottery of southern Italy
Until around 440 B.C. the Greek colonists of southern Italy and Sicily imported red-figure pottery from Athens. Later, they began to manufacture a similar ware themselves. Taranto was one of the region's main pottery centres.
The rendering of the temple on the fragment of a large krater or mixing bowl is notable. Through the open door, we see the colossal cult statue of Apollo, who can be recognized by his bow. The god is again portrayed to the right of the temple, playing a lyre while seated, with his name written above.
Greek mythology was a major source of inspiration, but many vases made in southern Italy and Sicily show scenes related to theatre, many of which were inspired by Greek tragedies and comedies. Dionysus, who is the god of wine as well as of theatre, appears frequently. Everyday subjects are also common.

Grave monuments
Between 330 and 250 B.C. grave monuments in the shape of small temples (naiskoi) with two columns, frieze and triangular gable (tympanum) were erected in the cemeteries of Taranto. The frieze and gable were coated with a fine layer of plaster and then colourfully painted. The themes ranged from mythological and historic battles to scenes of everyday life like hunting, sport and drinking parties (symposia). Dionysian processions are not uncommon.

Showpieces
During the early Hellenistic period, about 330-250 B.C., Canosa, in the heel of Italy produced an extraordinary kind of pottery marked by clay relief attachments and colourful painting. They were not in daily use but had decorative and funerary functions only. These vases show the mixture of local and Greek culture. Sometimes the shape belongs to the repertory of a native tribe of southern Italy, the Daunians, while the decoration has specifically Greek features.
Centuripe is in eastern Sicily near the volcano Etna. Previously, the area was inhabited by the Siculi, who formed one of the oldest known population groups of the island. Their first contacts with Greeks took place in the middle of the seventh century B.C. Slowly but surely, Centuripe became hellenized, and in the third century it thrived. The town's exceptional pottery, notable for both its shape and decoration, dates from this time. The decoration is characterized by a combination of gilded relief ornaments and multicoloured painting. It is widely accepted that the pottery of Centuripe found no everyday use. The lively painted scenes always refer to marriage. They were wedding vessels, in which the bride's father sent presents to his daughter. They would be cherished by brides as precious souvenirs recalling the wedding ceremony and later buried with them.