History of Taranto military help because of the wars that they were having with their neighbours. Also, Thurii, which was located on the Gulf of Taranto and under Tarentine rule, asked Rome for help in 282 BC, after being attacked by Lucanians. This situation inevitably led to a conflict between Taranto and Rome, since Taranto felt Rome was interfering in the affairs of the Greek colonies in southern Italy, which the Tarentines considered under their dominion. Two political parties were present at the time within Taranto. The democrats, led by Philocharis or Ainesias, were dominant; they were against Rome, because they knew that
Charles of Taranto corpse of Charles of Taranto. Bartholomew of Lucca helped arrange the retrieval of Charles' body from the Pisans after the battle. Remigio dei Girolami, a Dominican supporter of Charles' uncle, Robert, King of Naples, preached a sermon on Charles' death. Charles of Taranto Charles of Taranto (1296 – 29 August 1315) was the eldest son of Philip I, Prince of Taranto and titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople, and his wife, Thamar Angelina Komnene, daughter of the Despot of Epirus, Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas. Charles' father, Philip, was invested with the Principality of Achaea in southern Greece in 1307. However, there