Apoikia
Apoikia ( ancient Greek ἀποικία , outlying settlement ' ) refers to a colony founded by the ancient Greeks . According to the change of the term also of the Latin counterpart, the term in modern Greek today generally designates a colony, i.e. also the colonization of imperialism.
The Apoikia (Germanized Apoikie ) of antiquity is the settlement of a group of colonists that is outside the area of the mother city ( Metropolis ). Some of these settlers were sent from their mother city to establish a planting city or daughter city as repatriates . The head of such a company was usually a leader named Oikistes , often named by the mother city . Such communities emerged mainly during the "great Greek colonization" between 750 and 550 BC. An apoikia was independent of the mother city and an independent polis , which could also found new apoikia itself, remained connected to it - especially with regard to cult, political organization and internal order. Examples of this are similar symbols on the coins of the Apoikiai and their mother cities.
Mother cities were able to strengthen their daughter cities by sending more newcomers. Since at the beginning of the colonization there was no fixed state structure within the cities that could initiate such companies, these companies were initially private initiatives that mostly came from influential individuals. They were also responsible for organizing the company. In return, they often became heroes of their city after their death . The challenges that the new communities had to master also had a retroactive impact on the Greek motherland. Even after the polis structures had emerged, colonial enterprises in cities could come from private individuals. An example of this is the Attic colonist train under the leadership of the older Miltiades to Chersonese in the middle of the 6th century BC. Chr.
There were different forms of connection between mother and daughter cities. So it was possible that the daughter city was politically independent, but remained connected to the mother city for reasons of piety . On the other hand, the daughter city could also be much more dependent on the mother. Last but not least, the possibilities with which the mother city could assert its interests against the daughter were important. Corinth , for example, was able to maintain strong ties with its colonies on the Gulf of Corinth and, apart from Korkyra, with those in Epirus and Illyria . In contrast, the mighty Syracuse was able to free itself from the influence of the Corinthians. After Poteidaia sent Corinth even annually to top officials for the city ( Epidamiurg ).
In the area of the Delisch-Attic League , Athens used all colonies, which at that time it was difficult to separate from the clergy , as bases. At least in some of these settlements the residents were bound by the resolutions of the Attic people's assembly. With Thurioi and Amphipolis at least two Attic colonies are known, which were planned and founded as independent communities. Thurioi emerged as the successor settlement for Sybaris , but not only Athenians were settled there. In theory, any settler outside of his or her area of origin could call himself an apoikoi . Despite some differences in organization and position, all apoics were centers of Greek culture in a non-Greek environment and in most cases this also radiated into the barbaric environment.
literature
- Karl-Wilhelm Welwei : Apoikia . In: Der Neue Pauly Vol. 1 (1996), Col. 849-851.
- Greek colonies in: Microsoft Encarta
- Frank Bernstein: Apoikie and Metropolis. Requirements and terms of their relationships . In: History in Science and Education , Vol. 71, 2020, Issue 3–4, pp. 153–173.