Cumæ

Cumæ, an ancient city on the coast of Campania, founded conjointly by colonists from Chalcis in Eubœa, and from the Æolian town of Cyme in Asia Minor. The date of its foundation is uncertain, but according to Strabo it was the earliest of all the Greek settlements either in Italy or Sicily. It soon attained to wealth and power, built several harbours or port-towns of its own, kept a tolerably large fleet, extended its influence over the native tribes of the neighbouring territories, planted colonies in Italy and Sicily, at Puteoli, Neapolis, and Zancele (Messina). Spite of attacks from the Etruscans and Umbrians without, and dissensions within, for the two hundred years before 500 B.C. it was the most important and civilised city in Southern Italy. In 474 its ally, Hieron, king of Syracuse, defeated the combined fleets of the Etruscans and Carthaginians, who had attacked it by sea. Cumæ at length lost its independence (417 B.C.) when it was conquered by the Samnites, who killed or enslaved most of the citizens. It ultimately became a Roman municipium and colony, but continued to decline. It re-assumed a momentary importance during the wars of Belisarius and Narses. Its strong fortress, garrisoned by the Goths, was the last place in Italy that held out against the Byzantine army. Few remains of the ancient city exist.—Cumæ is famous as the residence of the Sibyl (q.v.), whose cave was identified with one of the many subterranean passages in the rock on which the citadel stood. Most of these are now choked up.