Occuapation of Pompeii and Herculaneum

Greeks - Northern end of the Bay of Naples at Cyme

became the leading city in teh plain
people were essentially urban and often settled on fortified plateaus with access to the sea
black pottery (buccero) - found alongstide Greek black-figure vases

extended to toehr places around the coast and in Campania as a whole
native cultures of the Sarno valley adopted some Hellenised characters
strategic location of the primitive Oscan settlement of Pompeii
used as a trading outpost for the hinterland, not as a permanent Greek settlement

Etruscan power collapsed after their defeat of Greek cities at the Second Battle of Cuma

vaccum left by Etruscans was filled by the Samnites, a warlike Italic people from teh harsh mountains of Italy
Towns including Pompeii and Herculaneum eventually became part of a Samnite League

Strabo - local Italic group living in scattered settlements in Campania
Origins of Herculaneum is lost in legends associated with Heracles

Roamns entered the Campania - landed at the mouth of hte Sarno River

the Samnite towns of Campania - each community bound to Rome by separate treaty
inhabitants were granted the status of Italian allies - entailed full rights of local self government
Strong Samnite culture until around 80 BC

Carthaginian general Hannibal had an effect on the Sarno Plain
many towns opened their gates to the invader but Pompeii and Herculaneum remained loyal to the Romans