In and around the second half of the VII century B.C. the Locresi felt the necessity to expand their influence in the Tyrrhenian sea and they founded, in the extreme North Ipponio, in the modern city of Vibo Valentia.

This sub-colony as well as Medma further south, enabled Locri to see what was the real problem, thus; the progressive demographic pressure.  Ipponio was situated on a 500 metre high hill, four kilometres away from the sea, at a point that dominated the vast plain lands to the north, in that from a distance dominated the vast gulf of S.Eufemia as well.  In the same area there was a pre-existent indigenous centre Veipo, which was found a graveyard that would affirm a protostorica presence in that area.

The ancient resources converged to consider Ipponio a Locresi colony, from Tucidide, Pseudo-Scimno, Strabone and Solino’s testimonies.  In regards to the location, Ipponio rose between Terina and Medma, for Pseudo-Scilace, between Cosenza and Medma toward Strabone, between Temesa and Medma toward Pomponio Mela, in that the ancient city would be situated where the modern city of Vi bo Valentia is today.

In the beginning of the V century B.C. Ipponio was dominated by the Siracusans led by the tyrant Gelone.  In 422 B.C. Ipponio, as well as, Medma attacked Locri that according to, Tucidide, had to face the rebellion of its Tyrrhenian sub-colonies. Locri probably had prepared fleets and financial loans to help Sparta, worsening the sub-colonies financial burdens, creating potential for human mobility and provoking violent reactions. The alliance between egetnone and the presence of Crotone created a peaceful rapport and the presence of coins in which on the front there is a tripod Crotoniate and on the back there is an eagle. 

Becoming independent, Ipponio would have been part of the Italiota League to fight against the danger brought on by the Siracusan tyrant Dioniso I and the Lucani. At the end of 389 or at the beginning of 388, the city was populated fully by Dionisio the first: as for Medma which was near by, the population was brought over to Siracusa and it’s territory given back to Locri. As Reggio, Caulonia, and Crotone, Ipponio also had to conquer it’s freedom from Dioniso the second, in the political context of the Magnogreche cities, destroyed by his father and by collaborative relationships created. In fact a few of the bronze coins of Ipponio, for their weight, pronunciation  and typology reveal precise relations with contemporary bronze Siracusan coins of the final Dionisio I and the coining of Dionisio II.

In 379 B.C. Ipponio was liberated from the Cartaginesi whom rebuilt it favouring the re-entry of the ancient inhabitants deported to Sciliy.

Around the middle of the IV century B.C., the city, as well as, Terina, was attacked and conquered by the Brettii, that changed the city’s name in Vepunium that later derived the Latin form Vibo.

In 294 Agatocle put siege on Ipponio and conquered with its powerful war machines, so much that the Brettii were forced to plead for peace and turn over their hostages.  According to Diodoro, thou, after Agatocle’s departure, they freed themselves of his dominion injecting the Siracusan command.  Strabone informs us that the tyrant after having taken control of Ipponio, built a harbour.  It’s harbour enriched the city, not only of agricultural resources, but also of commercial and fishing profits.  This harbour continued to be fruitful for the entire Roman era as is confirmed by Cicerone and Ateneo.

At the end of the second punic war, in the 192 B.C., the Romans founded a colony in the Greek territory Ipponio, that would be given the name Valentia, perhaps a memory of value shown against the Cartagenesi.  One of the most important arteries of the Roman world passed through Valentia, La via Popilia that which affirms the importance of the colony in that era.

Around the middle of the I century B.C., Vibo Valentia, had to conquer a certain value, as is affirmed by the repeated mentioning of Cicerone of that Municipium that he defined as a illustrious and noble.  In 48 B.C. the city helped Cesare in the civil war offering him a safe navel base for his fleet; at a later time, Vibo embraced Ottaviano, and his harbour served as a shoulder in all operations against Sesto Pompeo’s fleet.  Raided by the Saraceni, the colony fell in the period of the late empire; after which it was completely rebuilt in 1235 by the Svevi, with the name of Monteleone.