involved in the foundation of Thurii in 444 BC. It was an unusual colony, designed to be a Panhellenic project. It was an attempt to create a model democratic Greek polis in which migrants from several cities participated under the leadership of Athens. One of the unusual things about the foundation of Thurii was that Ionian and Doric Greeks were both involved. The impetus behind the project is not altogether clear, although the Athenians, led by the statesman Pericles, wanted to strengthen their foothold in the west. They were also attracted by the plentiful timber supplies in the area. But
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