Subproject:
B 04 The search for resources as the trigger of colonization processes? Causal investigation on the formation of Greek plant cities between the Black Sea and the western Mediterranean area

Project leadership:
Prof. Dr. Richard Posamentir

Staff:
Kai Riehle, Kirsten Hellström

Region:
Mediterranean area

What role did resources play in ancient ‘colonization’ and migration processes?

For selected regions of the ancient world, this subproject investigates the role that resources of all kinds played or could have played in migration movements within the scope of the ‘Great Greek Colonization’ in the 8th-6th century B.C. During this period, Greek settlers developed several areas on the fringe of their present world. The actual triggers that led to the establishment of countless plant cities in East and West are still mostly in the dark. While the socio-cultural starting positions in the various areas are very different, it is however noticeable that intense settlement activity also took place in those areas which at that time were not considered pleasant because of the living conditions there or because of the already existing local population. But there must have been persuasive reasons to brave dangers and weather and to move to one of the often ‘unloved’ daughter-cities.

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