The Greeks were very active on the sea and sought to expand their influence further into the Mediterranean. By the 7th and 6th century B.C., Greek colonies stretched from the Asia Minor to southern Italy, Sicily, and north Africa, and even some parts of southern France and Spain(Hemingway). The Greeks established trading enclaves along already existing cities along the coast. They spread Greek culture which is found through pottery, silver, bronze, olive oil, and wine. Not only did the Greeks spread their influence into other parts of the Mediterranean, this also encouraged other cities to travel to Greece (Hemingway). With the military campaign of Alexander the Great, more and more cities were linked to Greece and extensive trade routes through
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These places were some of the earliest colonies of Greece and that is why they are very similar to the Greek homeland (Astour 26). They surpassed the other outlying colonies due to their impressive cultural achievements and their contributions to Hellenistic artistry, literature, and philosophical expression (Astour 26). Although there were many similarities between Greece and its Italian colonies, Magna Gracia had its own specific traits that differentiated it from its mother country(Astour 30). Throughout the colonies, they had a devotion to mystic cults and secret fraternities. Orphism was a synthesis of pre-Greek, Greek, Jewish, Egyptian, Iranian, and Indian elements and unlike the traditional Greek religion, orphism emphasized individual redemption ( Astour 30). Orphic moral and ritual writings would later influence “ in doing-but its influence was nevertheless very great. It inspired many pages of Euripides, Aristophanes, and Plato, and its integration into Pythagoreanism assured its partial survival as a component of more than one philosophical school”(Astour 30). Even after Greece lost control over its colonies in southern Italy, many artifacts and traditions remained all the way to the end of the Byzantine rule(Astour
These places were some of the earliest colonies of Greece and that is why they are very similar to the Greek homeland (Astour 26). They surpassed the other outlying colonies due to their impressive cultural achievements and their contributions to Hellenistic artistry, literature, and philosophical expression (Astour 26). Although there were many similarities between Greece and its Italian colonies, Magna Gracia had its own specific traits that differentiated it from its mother country(Astour 30). Throughout the colonies, they had a devotion to mystic cults and secret fraternities. Orphism was a synthesis of pre-Greek, Greek, Jewish, Egyptian, Iranian, and Indian elements and unlike the traditional Greek religion, orphism emphasized individual redemption ( Astour 30). Orphic moral and ritual writings would later influence “ in doing-but its influence was nevertheless very great. It inspired many pages of Euripides, Aristophanes, and Plato, and its integration into Pythagoreanism assured its partial survival as a component of more than one philosophical school”(Astour 30). Even after Greece lost control over its colonies in southern Italy, many artifacts and traditions remained all the way to the end of the Byzantine rule(Astour