The Messapians or Messapii were inhabited, in historical times,Herodotus ( Ζ΄ 170), says they came from Crete - the south-eastern peninsula or "heel" of Italy (Salento, modern Apulia), known variously in ancient times as Calabria, Messapia and Iapygia.
Messapii |
The legitimate iron age sequel to the Neolithic and bronze age culture of Matera and Molfetta has not yet been discovered and the pre-history of Daunia, Peucetia and Messapia begins to take shape as a coherent whole only with the 7th century.
According to him, he took the Tarantine colony Heraclea from the Lucanians; Sipontum which belonged to the Apulians; the Bruttian towns Cosentia, Terina and several more Messapian and Lucanian towns.