Locrians

Locrians refers to ancient Greek populations that are described in classical sources and in archaeological remains. The name is used for two distinct groups in different regions of the Greek world: the Lokroi of mainland Greece (Locris) and the Locri Epizephyli in Magna Graecia (southern Italy). Though geographically separated, both groups spoke Greek and shared cultural traits typical of Greek city-states.

In Locris, a region of central Greece along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Corinth, the Lokroi were divided into two districts: Ozolian Locris in the west and Opuntian Locris in the east. They established city-states and participated in wider Greek political and military affairs during the classical period. The Lokrian dialect is noted as part of the broader linguistic mosaic of ancient Greek, contributing to the regional diversity of the era.

Locri Epizephyli, the Italian Locrians, were a Magna Graecia Greek colony founded around the 7th–6th century BCE by settlers from Lokris in Greece. Located on the Calabrian coast, Locri Epizephyli developed into a prominent urban center and interacted with neighboring Greek communities in southern Italy. The Locrians maintained a Greek urban culture, engaged in trade and diplomacy, and later came under Roman influence as Magna Graecia was integrated into the Roman state.

Culture and legacy: Locrians shared common Greek religious practices, social structures, and artistic traditions. Archaeological remains and inscriptions from Lokrian sites, including Locri Epizephyli and adjacent towns, illuminate their urban planning, sanctuaries, and daily life. The term Locrian is also used in linguistics to denote features of their Greek dialects. Today, the name survives in the modern town of Locri in Calabria, echoing ancient roots.