Cumae, the northernmost of the Greek colonies in Italy, represent
ed the main obstacle to territorial expansion by the Etruscans to the south. In the latter part of the sixth century and the early part of the fifth the Etruscan cities made several attempts to conquer it, suffering their first defeat in 525 and then bei
ng routed in a naval battle by Hiero, tyrant of Syracuse, in 474. Two helmets from the Greek shrine of Olympia are engraved with a dedication by Hiero recording the victory of the Syracusans over the Etruscans.
