the country of the Pofidonians. But, be 
the original founders or pofTeflbrs of this 
city who they might, hiftorians tell us, that 
whilft the Romans were yet in their infan- 
cy, Pofidonia was taken by the Lucanians, 
a colony from the Samnites; that this peo- 
ple were difpoffefled by the Romans, in the 
year of Rome 480, at which time it became a 
Roman colony, and afterwards a municipal 
town. 
About the year of Rome 528, when D. 
Quintinus was fent againft Tarentnm, we 
learn, from Livy, that the three cities of 
Rhegiurn, Velia and Pceftum furnimed 
twenty (hips to the afllflance of the Ro- 
mans 5 the fame author alfo tells us, that, 
fix years after, during the Punic war, Pcef- 
tum fent, by their embaffadors, a prefent of 
golden cups, but that they were not accept- 
ed. Legati a Pcejlo pater as aureas Romam 
attulerunt \ ih^Jlcut Neapolitanis, gratia afta, 
non acceptum. In another place, he makes 
honourable mention of this city among 
thofe, which, after the battle of Cannae, 
when the Romans were in great diftrefs, 
generoufly aflifted them with troops and 
money, for which they received the public 
thanks of the Senate and people. 
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