ancient Rhegium
City (pop., 2001 prelim.: 179,384), capital of Reggio di Calabria province and former capital (until 1971) of Calabria region, southern Italy.
A Greek colony founded on the Strait of Messina at the end of the 8th century BC, it was allied with Athens in the 5th century BC and with Rome 0441; 280 BC. From the 5th century AD it was ruled successively by the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, and Arabs. It was conquered by the Normans under Robert Guiscard 0441; 1060 and became part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . Destroyed many times by Muslim invaders and by earthquakes, it has repeatedly been rebuilt. It is a tourist resort and seaport that exports dried herbs and essential oils for the perfume and pharmaceutical industries.