2500 years ago, Greek traders and adventurers traveled to southern Italy to settle and develop the area. They called the region Magna Grecia. The development of the area led to a era of rapid cultural and economic growth. Before the arrival of the Greeks, the region was populated by only a few small isolated villages. The region’s rich soil, navigable rivers, great forests, and bronze and silver mines offered the Greeks enormous development potential. In time, the Greeks built great cities such as Tarantum, Syrakusai, Katane, Locri, and Naxos. There were also numerous small villages, many of which have disappeared or were swallowed whole by the growing cities. They built a dense network of roads to support trade and the prosperous markets in the cities. With success came strong rivalries among the cities, especially as they competed for the attentions of the oracles for the fame they offered.