Greek Colonization In The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean was heavily influenced by numerous waves of colonization during the Archaic Greek through Roman periods (c. 750BCE-AD400). Frequent voyages over land and sea meant that different social groups were beginning to interacting with one another. One group that ushered in an age of colonization in the Mediterranean region were the Greeks, who prior to exploration were cultivators of the land (Wilson, 2006:27). However, because their homeland was mountainous prime regions for farming were not abundant and many Greeks ventured into the Mediterranean Sea in search of fertile, hospitable lands (Cameron and Neal, 2003:33-35; Gwynn, 1918:89; Hodos, 2006:10; Pomeroy et al., 2004:53; Snodgrass, 2000:417; Stallo, 2007:20; Wilson, 2006:25). Reasoning for the establishment of Greek colonies was the extraction of food resources, raw goods such as metal, along with gaining slaves (Cameron and Neal, 2003; Ceka, 2005; Galaty, 2002; Gwynn, 1918; Hammond, 1992; Harding, 1992; Hodos, 2006:10; Pomeroy et al., 2004:54; Snodgrass, 2000:417; Stallo, 2007; Wilkes, 1992; Wilson, 2006). Another possible reason behind the creation of new outposts was a way of removing unwanted people from their homelands (Gosden, 2004:65; Wilson, 2006:31).
The first waves of …show more content…
Initially the Illyrian reputation of barbarians meant that many Greeks were unwilling to put their lives in jeopardy. Nevertheless, the need for raw goods and financial success overruled Greek fears allowing them to colonize the Illyrian coast along the Adriatic Sea at the port cities of Epidamnus and Apollonia (Ceka, 2005; Galaty, 2002; Hammond, 1992; Harding, 1992; Stallo, 2007; Stipčević, 1977; Wilkes, 1992). Many of these colonizing groups were often small in number. For instance, Apollonia was started with only 200 Corinthians (Ceka, 2005:66; McIlvaine, 2012:47; Stallo, 2007:20; Tsetskhladze, 2008:xxx; Wilkes,