Lecture with Some Illustrations of Greek Colonization

Greeks, as their home cities developed into poleis also founded new cities that they called apoikiai, or colonies. These seem to have begun as trading ports (emporia) around the Mediterranean, and then developed into poleis in their own right. The result of this process was both immense profit from trading and direct cultural mixing with other Mediterranean civilizations (not to mention creation of very powerful poleis outside of "Greece" proper -- we'll look at Sicily in detail later).

Process of "Colonization"

• Map of polis locations
• Paths of Colonization

Implications of "Colonization" for the development of poleis

Examples of Greek Colonies:

• Pithecusae (map, modern view)
• Cyrene (map, overview, coins)
• Massilia (map, reconstructed view)
• Olbia (map, modern view)

Evidence of early diffusion of culture

• Spain (Phoenician-Greek bust from Ibiza)
• Persia I (Ionian architects in Apadana)
• Persia II (coin of Tissaphernes)

Digression on diffusion of Greek coinage:

• Pre-Greek Coin in India (310 BC)
• Greek Version of Alexander the Great (ca. 280 BC)
• Shekel of Alexander the Great (223 BC)
• Independent Baktrian King Antimachus (190 BC)
• Independent Baktrian King Apollodotus (Indian Inscription -- 170 BC)
• Scythian King Azes (ca. 50 BC)
• Kushan King Kanishka I (ca. 100 AD)