Question

Why did Greek colonists come to Italy?

Answer 1

Various reasons

Explanation:

There are multiple reasons as to why the Greeks decided to go out and venture into the world (which led them straight to Italy, more specifically, Magna Graecia, and Sicily).

Here's a list on the cities founded in Italy (by the Greeks); "Some of the most important poleis in Italy were Cumae (the first Italian colony, founded c. 740 BCE by Chalcis), Naxos (734 BCE, Chalcis), Sybaris (c. 720 BCE, Achaean/Troezen), Croton (c. 710 BCE, Achaean), Tarentum (706 BCE, Sparta), Rhegium (c. 720 BCE, Chalcis), Elea (c. 540 BCE, Phocaea),  Thurri (c. 443 BCE, Athens), and Heraclea (433 BCE, Tarentum). On Sicily the main colonies included Syracuse (733 BCE, founded by Corinth), Gela (688 BCE, Rhodes and Crete), Selinous (c. 630 BCE), Himera (c. 630 BCE, Messana), and Akragas (c. 580 BCE, Gela)." (Carwright,Mark, http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Colonization/)

a) They wanted to explore new lands, it is estimated that the Greeks arrived in Magna Graecia around and about after the Trojan War.

b) They wanted new trade incomes, in order to promote trade from other trade nodes, or get new goods from other parts.