or CROTONE, in Ancient Geography, a noble city of the Bruttii, built by the Achaeans, 150 stadia to the north of Lacinium, and in the neighbourhood of Metapontum. It was twelve miles in compass before the arrival of Pyrrhus in Italy; but after the desolation produced by that war, scarce half of it was inhabited. The citadel on one side hung over the sea, on the other towards the land. It was naturally strong from its situation, but afterwards walled round; on which side it was taken by Dionysius by stratagem, by means of the rocks behind it.

Pythagoras, after his long peregrinations in search of knowledge, fixed his residence in this place, which some authors think his native one, at least that of his parents, supposing him to have been born in the isle of Samos, and not at some town of that name in Italy. This incomparable sage spent the latter part of his life in training up disciples to the rigid exercise of sublime and moral virtue, and instructing the Crotonites in the true arts of government, such as alone can insure happiness, glory, and independence.

Under the influence of this philosophy, the Crotonites inured their bodies to frugality and hardships, and their minds to self-denial and patriotic disinterestedness. Their virtues were the admiration of Greece, where it was a current proverb, that the last of the Crotonites was the first of the Greeks. In one Olympiad, seven of the victors in the games were citizens of Croton; and the name of Milo is almost as famous as that of Hercules. The vigour of the men and beauty of the women were ascribed to the climate, which was believed to be endowed with qualities peculiarly favourable to the human system. Their physicians were in high repute; and among those, Alcmeon and Democedes rendered themselves most conspicuous. Alcmeon was the first who dared to amputate a limb, in order to save the life of a patient; and also the first writer who thought of inculcating moral precepts under the amusing cloak of apologies. This invention is more commonly attributed to Aesop, as he was remarkably ingenious in this species of composition. Democedes was famous for his attachment to his native soil. Though careful and enriched by the king of Persia, whose queen he had snatched from the jaws of death, he abandoned wealth and honours, and by stratagem escaped to the humble comforts of a private life at Croton.—The Pythagoreans are said to have discovered that disposition of the solar system, which, with some modifications, has been revived by Copernicus, and is now universally received, as being most agreeable to nature and experiment. Theano, the wife of Pythagoras, and many other women, emulated the virtues of their husbands.

In those fortunate days the state of Croton was most flourishing. Its walls inclosed a circumference of 12 miles. Of all the colonies sent out from Greece, this alone furnished succour to the mother-country when invaded by the Persians. By its avenging arms the Sybarites were punished for their shameful degeneracy; but victory proved fatal to the conquerors, for riches, and all their pernicious attendants, contaminated themselves into Croton, and soon contaminated the purity of its principles. Indeed, the very constitution of human nature militates against any long continuance in such rigid practices of virtue; and therefore it is no wonder if the Crotonites fell by degrees into the irregularities they once abhorred. Not long after the Locrians, who were less corrupted, defeated them on the banks of the Sagra, and reduced the republic to distress and penury. This restored the remaining Crotonites to their pristine vigour of mind, and enabled them to make a brave, though unsuccessful resistance, when attacked by Dionysius of Syracuse. They suffered much in the war with Pyrrhus, and, by repeated misfortunes, decreased in strength and numbers, from age to age, down to that of Hannibal, when they could not muster 20,000 inhabitants. This small population being incapable of maintaining the extensive works erected in the days of prosperity, Croton was taken by the Carthaginians, and its citizens transported to Locri. The Romans sent a colony hither 200 years before Christ. In the Gothic war, this city rendered itself conspicuous by its fidelity to Justinian, and Totila besieged it long in vain.