Does Herodotus offer adequate explanations for Greek colonisation during the archaic period?

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“Does Herodotus offer adequate explanations for Greek

colonisation during the archaic period?”

In order to assess how adequate Herodotus explanations for Greek colonisation in the archaic period are it is necessary to first look at Herodotus’ reasons behind the establishment of Hellenic settlements, the attitudes of modern historians. Herodotus relies heavily on religion as a main factor behind Greek colonisation, most notably the Delphic Oracle at the Temple of Apollo. Herodotus and modern historians also mention political motivation for the foundation of new colonies however the latter prefer to focus more on ‘land hunger’ and trade developments as being the main reasons behind the institution of apoikia. Lastly it is important to examine the reliability of Herodotus himself; assessing whether The Histories is dependable on its own as source or whether other information is required along side it to paint an adequate picture for the true purpose behind Greek colonisation during the archaic period.

The most important reason Herodotus uses to explain Greek colonisation would be down to instructions relayed by the Delphic oracle. Herodotus writes how the “Phocaean’s made Cyrnus their destination, because twenty years earlier, on the advice of an oracle, they had founded a community there called Alalia”[1] and also how the colonisation of Cyrene involves the apparent founder Battus consulting the Pythia[2]. These examples therefore show that Greeks placed great stock in the predictions made by the oracle which they believed were messages being relayed by the Gods. Dillon and Garland agree with this assessment by stating that “men of former times… would not found cities, or surround themselves with walls, or kill anyone, or get married before they had learnt all they could from the seers”[3]. Descoeudres agrees that “consultation of the Delphic oracle was a normal, even mandatory prelude to a colonizing venture”[4] but later goes on to argue “but was sought from the Gods was a sanction for action already decided upon”[5]. This idea that Greek cities wanted approval for expeditions that they had already planned is concretized by Dillon and Garland who state that “most mother-cities would have known their destination in advance”. Therefore it could be argued that Greeks did not require the Delphic oracle as a director of the expedition, but for divine authorisation, one which could not be contested by rival claimants to the newly establishment settlement. This is particularly evident in the case of Cyrene where both the Therans and the Lacedaemonian accounts of the settlements origin differ widely except from the involvement of character known as Battus and his consultation of the Delphic oracle in their attempt lay claim to that territory. Dillon and Garland state that “while it was important by the fifth century to ensure a colony had the backing of Apollo at Delphi there are no recorded foundation oracles for several colonies of the 8th and early 7th centuries”[6] which could be used to support Demand’s assertions that “the participants (of the colonisation movement) would have wanted to have a clear title to their land, and this could only be provided by the Gods… some oracular responses may even have been invented at a later time by poleis tidying up their local histories”[7]. Therefore, there is ample evidence to suggest that Herodotus’ testimony that the Delphic oracle was a motivation behind Hellenic expansion is not an adequate explanation for Greek colonisation during the archaic period but instead can be used to examine the attitudes of those reporting to the father of history.

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On the other hand, both modern and ancient sources agree that political differences had its part to play regarding Greek colonisation during the archaic period. Herodotus explains how the entire Tean populace “took to their ships and sailed away to Thrace where they founded the city of Abdera”[8] due to pressure from the Persian forces under the command of Harpagus. The impeding nature of a larger, more powerful army aiming to conqueror a city would arguably be a good reason for that group of people to move to a safer area in order to survive. Along with external political enemies being ...

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