Greek colonisation refers to the expansion of Archaic Greece, particularly during the 8th–6th centuries BC, across the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
The Archaic expansion differed from the Iron Age migrations of the Greek Dark Ages, in that it consisted of organised direction (see ) away from the originating metropolis rather than the simplistic movement of tribes, which characterised the aforementioned earlier migrations. Many colonies, or (, ), that were founded during this period eventually evolved into strong Polis, functioning independently of their metropolis.
As well as demographic pressure, environmental factors could prompt the colonisation of other lands. Herodotus's account of the founding of the colony of Cyrene in Libya tells of social unrest on the island of Santorini (the colony's metropolis), caused by severe overpopulation and a prolonged drought. Herodotus provided two different accounts for the founding of Cyrene. The version of the Cyreneans emphasised the divine appointment of Battus (the founder) by the oracle of Apollo to establish a colony in Libya. Herodotus' inclusion of religious prophecies and mythical elements reflected a bias towards the role of religion as one of the factors that contributed to colonisation. In contrast, the version provided by the Therans focused on their King Grinnus (or Grinus) and his instruction to send Battus to set up a colony in Libya. Even though this account was more realistic, it might also have served as propaganda for the Therans to maintain their historical and cultural ties with the Cyreneans for economic and political benefits.
Fertile lands in the Peloponnese are limited. Thucydides mentioned that early Greek city states often fought for quality soil used in agriculture by conducting violent raids. This placed more strain on the general populace of city states, which made it hard for communities to settle and encouraged migration.
Another reason for Greek colonisation was the expansion of influence. As ancient Greeks in the Peloponnese and Ionia developed a sense of identity, they had the desire to spread their culture through colonisation. During the early days of Greek colonisation (8th to 7th centuries BCE), the apoikia (ἀποικία) was one of the most common types of Greek colony. Even though these colonies were usually independent of the metropolis and had their own governance, they usually modelled their systems on those of their mother city. Furthermore, apoikiai (ᾰ̓ποικῐ́αι) usually maintained strong cultural ties with the metropolis through their mutual heritage; this allowed mainstream Greek culture to spread to native populations.
Diodorus Siculus's account on the founding of the colony of Thurii was driven by the invitation of the Sybarites to establish a panhellenic colony from various Greek city states. Archeological evacuations have uncovered ruined Greek structures and artifacts which might give insights into the city's Greek origin. Moreover, the Athenians were eager to expand their influence and seek allies during the Peloponnesian war. Thucydides account of the Athenian's attempt to colonise Sicily during the Peloponnesian war was due to the support from Sicilian cities which highlights the importance of establishing alliances to expand their own sphere of influence.
In some cases, some colonies were founded to escape from civil unrest or political instability. For instance, identity crisis in the metropolis caused political and social tensions, which resulted in expulsion of certain groups. Strabo mentioned the founding of Taranto by the Parthenians, who were the descendants of women but were denied full rights citizenship. After a failed attempt to plot against the local citizens, they were urged to find the colony of Taranto to prevent further conflict. Strabo's account of the founding of Taranto by the Parthenians aligned with other historical context, such as the Messenian Wars, which gave birth to the Parthenians. By sending one of the parties away, social conflicts could be alleviated in the mother city. Modern researchers also suggest factors such as fleeing from a crime or even exploration could motivate others to set up new colonies.
Modern scholar suggests the recognition of economic and strategic value leads to further colonisation. Many colonies were established along the Mediterranean and Black Sea as trading hubs and centers of commerce. These colonies were called Emporion (ἐμπόριον), which were usually founded in strategic locations that allowed them to control and facilitate certain trade routes. Over time, they were transformed into important trading centres. For example, Emporion colonies were set up along the coasts of southern Italy and Sicily due to the abundance of natural resources and fertile lands. This helped facilitate maritime trade and expand their own trade network. Moreover, they could regulate taxes as they developed into larger colonies, which could contribute to the long-term economic prosperity of the metropolis. Other colonies were established along the coastline as military outposts to protect the trade routes. The main goal of the Sicilian expedition undertaken by the Athenians during the Peloponnesian war was to capture Syracuse, a major strategic point and ally of the Spartan-led Peloponnesian League. According to Thucydides, the Athenians were also attracted to the wealth and resources available there even though it was exaggerated. Furthermore, He claimed that the capture of Sicily would solidify their power in the Mediterranean world. Even though Thucydides overemphasised personal factors, such as the desire for wealth and glory of individuals, modern scholars recognise the strategic importance of such expedition that would help shape the decision made by those individuals. By capturing Sicily, they would gain dominance over trade routes in the Mediterranean. This demonstrates that the Athenians were likely aware of the strategic and trade benefits that were brought by colonies.
During the 5th to 4th century BCE, a new type of colony called Cleruchies (κληρουχία) was established by the Athenian empire. Unlike other Greek colonies, Cleruchies were politically dependent on Athens, where its governance was modelled after Athens and its citizen retained Athenian citizenship. Moreover, citizens living inside these colonies were granted lands in exchange for military service and had to pay taxes to Athens.
There are debates on the other motives of Cleruchies. Ancient sources suggest that Cleruchies were set up to alleviate poverty by giving land to the poor. Plutarch's account implies Cleruchies were established as a social welfare measure by distributing land to the poor. Moreover, there were ancient inscriptions in the Cleruchy of Brea that intends for land allocation only for the lower and middle classes, excluding higher property classes. In contrary, some ancient Greek grave markers in the Cleruchy of Euboea suggest that wealthy individuals resided in the colony. Archaeological evidence on the site of Vrachos on Euboea suggests that it was not only populated by the poor. For example, the presence of 200 non-Athenian mercenaries and strong fortification, which suggest heavy economic and military investments in the area. Other modern scholars suggest that the motive was to safeguard grain fleets and Cleruchies were set up along the route to the Black Sea, where the land was more fertile than in Greece. Some islands, such as Lesbos, contributed significantly to Athens through rent from settlements. Hence, Cleruchies were important to Athens not only as strategic locations but also as a source of wealth in the form of agriculture and rents, which was vital during the Peloponnesian war.
Greek colonies were often established along coastlines, especially during the period of colonisation between the 8th and 6th centuries BC. Many Greek colonies were strategically positioned near coastlines to facilitate trade, communication, and access to maritime resources. These colonies played a crucial role in expanding Greek culture, trade networks, and influence throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. While some colonies were established inland for various reasons, coastal locations were generally more common due to the Greeks' strong connection to the sea.
While the term ἐποικισμός referred to the founding of a new settlement or colony, the term ἐνοικισμός was used to describe the settlement of Greeks among native populations, as in the case of the Greek quarter at Gravisca. THE CAMBRIDGE ANCIENT HISTORY - The Expansion of the Greek World, Eighth to Sixth Centuries B.C. - Edited by JOHN BOARDMAN F.B.A. (Lincoln Professor of Classical Archaeology and Art in the University of Oxford), N. G. L. HAMMOND F.B.A. (Professor Emeritus of Greek University of Bristol)
At the end of the 8th century, Euboea fell into decline with the outbreak of the Lelantine War but colonial foundation continued by other Greeks such as the Ionians and Corinthians. The Ionians started their first colonies around the 7th century in Southern Italy, Thrace and on the Black Sea. Thera founded Cyrene and Andros, and Samos founded multiple colonies in the Northern Aegean.
Chalcidice was settled by Euboeans, chiefly from Chalcis, who lent their name to these colonies. The most important settlements of the Euboeans in Chalcidice were Olynthos (which was settled in collaboration with the Ancient Athens), Torone, Mende, Sermyle, Aphytis and Cleonae in the peninsula of Mount Athos. Other important colonies in Chalcidice were Acanthus, founded by colonists from Andros and Potidaea, a colony of Ancient Corinth. Thasians with the help of the Athenian Callistratus of Aphidnae founded the city of Datus. During the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians with the Hagnon, son of Nikias founded the city of Ennea Hodoi (Ἐννέα ὁδοὶ), meaning nine roads, at the current location of the "Hill 133" north of Amphipolis in Serres.
Numerous other colonies were founded in the region of Thrace by the Ionians from the coast of Asia Minor. Important colonies were Maroneia, and Abdera. The Milesians also founded Abydos and Cardia on the Hellespont and Rhaedestus in Propontis. The Samians colonised the island of Samothrace, becoming the source of its name. Finally, the Paros colonised Thasos under the leadership of the oecist and father of the poet Archilochus, Telesicles.
In 340 BC, while Alexander the Great was regent of Macedon, he founded the city of Alexandropolis Maedica after defeating a local Thracian tribe.
Greeks began to settle in southern Italy in the 8th century BC.
The first great migratory wave directed towards the western Mediterranean was that of the aimed at the Gulf of Naples who, after Pithecusae (on the isle of Ischia), the oldest Greek settlement in Italy, founded Cumae nearby, their first colony on the mainland, and then in the Strait of Messina, Zancle in Sicily, and nearby on the opposite coast, Reggio Calabria.STEFANIA DE VIDO 'Capitani coraggiosi'. Gli Eubei nel Mediterraneo C. Bearzot, F. Landucci, in Tra il mare e il continente: l'isola d'Eubea (2013) ISBN 978-88-343-2634-3
The second wave was of the who concentrated initially on the Ionian coast (Metapontum, Poseidonia, Sybaris, Crotone),Strabo 6.1.12Herodotus 8.47 shortly before 720BC. At an unknown date between the 8th and 6th centuries BC the Athenians, of Ionian lineage, founded Scylletium (near today's Catanzaro).Strabo, Geographica, 6.1.10
In Sicily the Euboeans later founded Naxos, which became the base for the founding of the cities of Leontini, Taormina and Catania. They were accompanied by small numbers of Dorians and Ionians; the Athenians had notably refused to take part in the colonisation. in The strongest of the Sicilian colonies was Syracuse, an 8th-century BC colony of the Corinthians.
Refugees from Sparta founded Taranto which evolved into one of the most powerful cities in the area. Megara founded Megara Hyblaea and Selinunte; Phocaea founded Velia; Rhodes founded Gela together with the Cretans and Lipari together with Cnidus; the Locrians founded Epizephyrian Locris. According to legend, Lagaria which was between Thurii and the river Sinni River was founded by Phocians.
Evidence of frequent contact between the Greek settlers and the indigenous peoples comes from Timpone Della Motta which shows influence of Greek style in Oenotrians pottery.
Many cities in the region became in turn metropoleis for new colonies such as the Syracusans, who founded the city of Camarina in the south of Sicily; or the Zancleans, who led the founding of the colony of Himera. Likewise, Naxos, which founded many colonies while Sybaris founded the colony of Poseidonia. Gela founded its own colony, Agrigento. in
With colonisation, Greek culture was exported to Italy with its dialects of the Ancient Greek language, its religious rites, and its traditions of the independent polis. An original Hellenic civilisation soon developed, and later interacted with the native Italic languages civilisations. One of the most important cultural transplants was the Chalcis/Cumaean alphabet variety of the Greek alphabet which was adopted by the Etruscans; the Old Italic alphabet subsequently evolved into the Latin alphabet, which became the most widely used alphabet in the world.
The Corinthians also founded important colonies in Illyria, which evolved into important cities, Apollonia and Epidamnos, in present-day Albania. The fact that about the 6th century BC the citizens of Epidamnus constructed a Doric-style treasury at Olympia confirms that the city was among the richest of the Ancient Greek world. An ancient account describes Epidamnos as 'a great power and very populated' city. Nymphaeum was another Greek colony in Illyria. The Abantes of Euboea founded the city of Thronion at the Illyria.
Further west, colonists from the Greek city-state Paros in 385 BC founded the colony Pharos on the island of Hvar in the Adriatic, on the site of the present-day Stari Grad in Croatia. In the early 4th century BC the Greek tyrant of Syracuse Dionysius I founded the colony Issa on the modern-day island of Vis, and traders from Issa then went on to found emporia in Tragurion (Trogir) and Epetion (Stobreč) on the Illyrian mainland in 3rd century BC.
In 1877 a Greek inscription was discovered in Lumbarda on the eastern tip of the island of Korčula in modern-day Croatia which talks about the founding of another Greek settlement there in the 3rd or 4th century BC, by colonists from Issa. The artifact is known as Lumbarda Psephisma. Evidence of coinage on the Illyrian coast used for trade between the Illyrians and the Greeks can be dated to around the 4th century BC and minted in Adriatic colonies such as Issa and Pharos.
On the western shore of the Black Sea the Megarans founded the cities of Selymbria and a little later, Nesebar. A little farther north in today's Romania the Milesians founded the cities of Histria, Argamum and Sozopol.
In the south of the Black Sea the most important colony was Sinope which according to prevailing opinion was founded by Miletus some time around the middle of the 7th century BC. Sinope was founded with a series of other colonies in the Pontic region: Trabzon, Giresun, Cytorus, Ordu, Cromne, Pteria, Tium, etc.
Further north from the Danube delta the Greeks colonised the islet, probably then a peninsula, of Barythmenis (modern Berezan Island) which evolved into the colony of Borysthenes in the next century.
On the north shore of the Black Sea Miletus was the first to start with Pontic Olbia and Panticapaeum (modern Kerch). In about 560 BC the Milesians founded Odessa in the region of modern Ukraine. On the peninsula (the Greeks then called it Tauric Chersonese or "Peninsula of the Bulls") they founded likewise the cities of Simferopol, Nymphaeum and Tmutarakan. On the Sea of Azov (Lake Maiotis to the ancients) they founded Tanais (in Rostov), Tyritace, Myrmeceum, Cecrine and Phanagoria, the last being a colony of the Teos.
On the eastern shore, which was known in ancient times as Colchis, today in Georgia and the autonomous region of Abkhazia, the Greeks founded the cities of Phasis and Dioscouris. The latter was called Sebastopolis by the Romans and Byzantines and is known today as Sokhumi.
Heraclea Pontica founded Callatis on the southern coast of Romania at the end of the 6th c. BC.Ewa Stanecka, Callatis as a Seaport, Studies in Ancient Art and Civilisation, 10.12797/SAAC.17.2013.17.28, 17, (325-333), (2013)
The ancient Greek settlement called Manitra of the 4th-3rd centuries BC near the town of Baherove in Crimea was discovered in 2018.
By the middle of the 7th century, the lone Greek colony in Ancient Egypt had been founded, Naukratis.Strabo, Geographia 17.1.18, cited in The pharaoh Psamtik I gave a trade concession to Milesian merchants for one establishment on the banks of the Nile River, founding a trading post which evolved into a prosperous city by the time of the Persian expedition to Egypt in 525 B.C.
2023 archaeological findings in Heracleion at Egypt, suggested that Greeks, who were already allowed to trade in the city, "had started to take root" there as early as during the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt and that likely Greek mercenaries were employed to defend the city.
Diodorus Siculus mentions Meschela (Μεσχέλα), a city on the northern coast of Africa, founded by the Greeks after the Trojan War.
In Cirta, King Micipsa of Numidia established a Greek colony within the city. Strabo, Geography, 17.3.13
Archaeological discoveries of Greek findings as early as the ninth century BC across the Near East indicate a Greek presence in the region. Finds at sites such as Hamath, Samaria, Nineveh, Tell Abu Hawam and others suggest active trade, cultural exchange, and possibly Greek settlement.
BUL1. Nesebar BUL2. Odessos BUL3. Sozopol / Antheia BUL4. Ahtopol BUL5. Kavarna BUL6. Pomorie BUL7. Obzor BUL8. Balchik BUL9. Pistiros BUL10. Pomorie BUL11. Kavarna * BUL12. Develtos BUL13. Heraclea Sintica BUL14. Stara Zagora
G1. Batumi G2. Gagra G3. Pitsunda G4. Sukhumi G5. Phasis G6. Ochamchire
MA1. Damastion* MA2. Heraclea Lyncestis
SE1. Damastion*
U1. Berezan Island U2. Tyras U3. Olbia U4. Nikonion U5. Odessa U6. Panticapaeum U7. Nymphaion U8. Tyritake U9. Feodosia U10. Chersonesus U11. Charax U11. Myrmekion U12. Yevpatoria U13. Kimmerikon U14. Chornomorske U15. Yalta U16. Akra U17.Manitra U18. Gelonus* U19. Tarpanchi
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