History of the Peloponnesian War

Of the Hellenes, on the other hand, the first to sail over were some Chalcidians from Euboea who settled Naxos[*](735 B.C. The site was the best point for landing from Hellas, near Tauromenium (Taormina).) with Thucles as founder,[*](A leader appointed by a state to conduct the people sent out to establish a colony. He probably received material privileges and grants while alive, and certainly was paid divine honours—sacrifices and games—after death. If a colony afterwards founded another colony, it was customary to ask a leader from the mother city.) and built an altar in honour of Apollo Archegetes.[*](So called as “founder” or protector of a new settlement.) This is now outside of the city, and on it the sacred deputies,[*](On missions to games or oracles.) when they sail from Sicily, first offer sacrifice.

The following year Syracuse[*](734 B.C.) was founded by Archias, one of the Heracleidae from Corinth, after he had first expelled the Sicels from the island, no longer surrounded by water, on which now stands the inner city; and at a later period also the outer city was connected with it by walls and became populous.

In the fifth year after the settlement of Syracuse, Thucles and the Chalcidians, setting forth from Naxos, drove out the Sicels in war and settled Leontini, and after it Catana.[*](729 B.C.) The Catanaeans, however, chose for themselves Evarchus as founder.

About the same time Lamis also came to Sicily with a colony from Megara and settled in a place called Trotilus, beyond the river Pantaeyas; but afterwards, having removed from there and joined the settlement of the Chalcidians at Leontini, he was a little later driven out by them, and then after colonizing Thapsus[*](A peninsula just north of Syracuse (now called Isola di Magnisi).) met his death. His followers were expelled from Thapsus and settled then at a place called Megara Hyblaea,[*](728 B.C.) since Hyblon, a Sicel king, gave up the land to them and led them to the site.