Rhegium

views updated

Rhegium (rē´jēəm), ancient city, S Italy, on the Strait of Messina. It is the modern Reggio di Calabria. Founded (c.720 BC) as a colony of Chalcis, many Messenians later settled there. It was powerful until its defeat and destruction (386 BC) by Dionysius the Elder of Syracuse. The Romans, who favored it, called the city Rhegium Julium. It is mentioned in Acts 28.13. The name is also spelled Regium.

More From encyclopedia.com