The Corinthian War against Corcyra. Potidea revolts from the Athenians. Quarrels in Thurium. Meton's Year. Heraclea in Italy built. Potidea besieg'd by Phormio.
GLaucides the Chief Magistrate of Athens, Titus Quintus, and Agrippa Furius, Consuls of Rome: The Syracusians (being Victorious as is before related) fell a building of Ships of Three Oars upon a Bank, and doubling the number of their Horse, busi'd themselves in raising a Land-Army. And that they might. raise, and get together a great Treasure and Fond of Money, they exacted larger Contributions from their Subjects; and this they did with a Design to subject all Sicily by degrees to their Dominion.
Whilst these things were in doing, the Corinthian War (as it's call'd) broke forth upon the following occasion. The Epidamnians, the Inhabitants of the Coasts of the Adriatick Sea, being Colonies brought from Corcyra and Corinth, were greatly distress'd with Tumults and Seditions amongst themselves, where the stronger Party cast many of the contrary Faction out of the City; whereupon the Exiles join'd together, and calling the Illyrians to their Assistance and Confederacy, they made against Epidamnum with a great Fleet: And being the Barbarians were very strong, they easily possess'd themselves of the Country, and besieged the City. They of Epidamnum not able to resist so great a Force, sent to Corcyra for aid, who were of the same Stock and Kindred; but being disregarded by them, they made their Application to the Corinthians, owning that City to be their only Metropolis, and desired a Supply of more Citizens in the room of those that were ejected. The Corinthians partly out of pity to them of Epidamnum, and partly out of an old grudge they bore them of Corcyra (for that they only of all the Colonies, brought from them thither, neglected to send to them as their Metropolis, the usual Offerings) decreed Aid to be sent to them of Epidamnum. And accordingly they sent both a new Supply of Citizens, and a Guard of Souldiers sufficient for the defence of the City. The Corcyreans much inrag'd at this, fitted out a Fleet of Fifty Sail against them. The Admiral of which Fleet after his arrival commanded them of Epidamnum, to receive the Exiles: And then by Ambassadors propos'd to the Corinthian Garrison, That the matter relating to the Colony, might rather be ended in an orderly Course of Justice, than by force of Arms. But the Corinthians refusing, it came at length to a War; and Fleets were prepared, and Associations and Confederacies made on both sides: And these were the Causes of that Corinthian War. In the mean time, the Romans made War against the Volsci. At first they began with light and small Skirmishes; but at length in a formal Battel the Romans became Victorious, and slew most of their Enemies upon the Field.
When Theodorus govern'd Athens, and the Romans constituted Marcus Genusius, and Agrippa Curtius Chelon, Consuls; in Italy the Nation of the Campanians began to flourish; so call'd from the Fruitfulness of the Country round about them. In Asia the Archaeanactidae had now held the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosphorus for the space of Two and Forty Years; to whom then succeeded Spartacus, who reign'd Seven Years. In Greece the Corinthians and Corcyreans were preparing on both sides Navies for Fights at Sea: And presently the Corinthians made towards the Enemy with Seventy Gallies bravely sitted out; and the Corcyreans met them with Fourscore, routed them, and took Epidamnum by Storm, and made all the Corinthians their Prisoners, but put all the rest to the Sword. The Corinthians by this overthrow, wholly discouraged, return'd into Peloponesus. The Corcyreans now become Masters of this part of the Sea, invaded the Confederates of the Corinthians, and wasted their Country.