27. The Samnites were distinguished by their love of war, and their unconquerable attachment to liberty; their sway at one time extended over Campa'nia, and the greater part of central Italy; and the Romans found them the fiercest and most dangerous of their early enemies. The chief towns in the Samnite territory were Alli'fae, Beneventum, and Cau'dium. 28. Lower Italy was also called Magna Grae'cia, from the number of Greek[4] colonies that settled on the coast; it comprised four countries; Luca'nia and Brut'tium on the west, and Apu'lia and Cala'bria on the east. 29. LUCA'NIA was a mountainous country between the Sil'arus, _Selo_, on the north, and the Lae'us, _Lavo_, on the south. The Lucanians were of Sabine origin, and conquered the Oenotrians, who first possessed the country: they also subdued several Greek cities on the coast. The chief cities were Posido'nia or Paestum, He'lia or Ve'lia, Sib'aris and Thu'rii. 30. Brut'tium is the modern Cala'bria, and received that name when the ancient province was wrested from the empire. It included the tongue of land from the river Laeus to the southern extremity of Italy at Rhe'gium. The mountains of the interior were inhabited by the Bruta'tes or Brut'tii, a semi-barbarous tribe, at first subject to the Sibarites, and afterwards to the Lucanians. In a late age they asserted their independence, and maintained a vigorous resistance to the Romans. As the Brut'tii used the Oscan language, they must have been of the Ausonian race. The chief towns were the Greek settlements on the coast, Consen'tia, _Cosenza_; Pando'sia, _Cirenza_; Croto'na, Mame'rtum, Petil'ia, and Rhe'gium, _Reggio_. 31. Apu'lia extended along the eastern coast from the river Fren'to, to the eastern tongue of land which forms the foot of the boot, to which Italy has been compared. It was a very fruitful plain, without fortresses or harbours, and was particularly adapted to grazing cattle. It was divided by the river Au'fidus, _Ofanto_, into Apu'lia Dau'nia, and Apu'lia Peuce'tia, or pine-bearing Apu'lia. The chief towns were, in Dau'nia, Sipon'tum and Luce'ria: in Peuce'tia, Ba'rium, Can'nae, and Venu'sia. 32. Cala'bria, or Messa'pia, is the eastern tongue of land which terminates at Cape Japy'gium, _Santa Maria_; it was almost wholly occupied by Grecian colonies. The chief towns were Brundu'sium, _Brindisi_: Callipolis, _Gallipoli_: and Taren'tum. 33. The islands of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia, which are now reckoned as appertaining to Italy, were by the Romans considered separate provinces. _Questions for Examination_. 1. How is Italy situated? 2. By what names was the country known to the ancients? 3. How is Italy bounded on the north? 4. What districts were in northern Italy? 5. What was the extent of Liguria, and the character of its inhabitants? 6. How was Cisalpine Gaul divided? 7. By whom was Cisalpine Gaul inhabited? 8. Why was it called Togata? 9. What are the principal rivers in northern Italy?