History of the Peloponnesian War

Zancle, again, was originally founded from Cuma, the Chalcidian city in the country of the Opici, by some freebooters who went there; but afterwards a great number went from Chalcis and the rest of Euboea, and shared with them in the occupation of the land; its founders being Perieres and Crataemenes, one from Cuma, the other from Chalcis. As regards its name, it was at first called Zancle by the Sicels, because the site resembles a reaping-hook in figure, and the reaping-hook is called by the Sicels zanclon. Afterwards, these settlers were expelled by some Samians and other Ionians, who landed in Sicily while flying from the Medes;

and again, Anaxilas, tyrant of Rhegium, having not long after expelled the Samians, and colonized their country with a mixed population, changed its name to Messana, after his own original country.

Himera was founded from Zancle by Euclides, Simus, and Saco, and most of those who went to the colony were Chalcidians, though there were also united with them some exiles from Syracuse, who had been defeated in a strife of factions—the Mylaetidae, as they are called. The language was a mixture of the Chalcidian and Dorian; but the Chalcidian were the prevailing institutions.

Acrae and Casmenae were founded by the Syracusans; Acrae seventy years after Syracuse, and Casmenae nearly twenty years after Acrae.