Medma
MEDMAor MESMA(Μέδμη, Steph. B.; Μέδμα, Strab., Scymn. Ch.; but Μέσμαon coins, and so Apollodorus, cited by Steph. B.; Scylax has Μέσα, evidently a corruption for Μέσμα: Eth. Μεδμαῖος, Μεσμαῖος), a Greek city of Southern Italy, on the W. coast of the Bruttian peninsula, between Hipponium and the mouth of the Metaurus. (Strab. 6. p. 256; Scyl. p. 4.12.) It was a colony founded by the Epizephyrian Locrians, and is said to have derived its name from an adjoining fountain. (Strab. l. c.; Scymn. Ch. 308; Steph. B. s. v.) But though it is repeatedly noticed among the Greek cities in this part of Italy, it does not appear ever to have attained to any great power or importance, and its name never figures in history. It is probable, however, that the Medimnaeans (Μεδιμναῖοι), who are noticed by Diodorus as contributing a body of colonists to the repeopling of Messana by Dionysius in B.C. 396, are no other than the Medmaeans, and that we should read Μεδμαῖοιin the passage in question. (Diod. 14.78.) Though never a very conspicuous place, Medma seems to have survived the fall of many other more important cities of Magna Graecia, and it is noticed as a still existing town both by Strabo and Pliny. (Strab. l. c.; Plin. Nat. 3.5. s. 10.) But the name is not found in Ptolemy, and all subsequent trace of it disappears. It appears from Strabo that the town itself was situated a little inland, and that it had a port or emporium on the sea-shore. The exact site has not been determined, but as the name of Mesimais still borne by a river which flows into the sea a little below Nicotera, there can be no doubt that Medma was situated somewhere in the neighbourhood of that town, and probably its port was at the mouth of the river which still bears its name. Nicotera, the name of which is already found in the Antonine Itinerary (pp. 106, 111), probably arose after the decline of Mesma. COIN OF MEDMA.
[E.H.B]On the W coast, ca. 43 km N of Reggio Calabria. The history of the settlement, founded from Lokroi Epizephyrioi, is little known. Remains of several sanctuaries have been reported from the site, and recent work has revealed remains of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Especially important is the deposit of terracotta votive statuettes found at Piano delle Vigne in 1912 and 1913.
BIBLIOGRAPHYP. Orsi in NSc supplement (1913) 55-144; EAA 4 (1961) 959-60 (P. E. Arias); G. Foti in La Città e il suo Territorio, Atti del settimo Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia (1968) 233-34.
R. HOLLOWAY