Oikistes

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As Oikistes (Greek οἰκιστής) also Ktistes or Heros Ktistes , real or mythical founders of a city or colony were referred to in antiquity .

On the Greek mainland, a god or hero was usually adopted as the founder of the city, who was venerated in local sanctuaries as the patron saint of the city. The name of the city was often taken as an eponym for the founder.

At the time of the Greek colonization, however , the Oikistes is historically tangible. Mostly it was his job to provide the ship with which the colonists set out from mainland Greece to found colonies. Therefore, he ritually asked an oracle , usually the Delphi oracle , about the advantages of the possible location of the new settlement and then determined the location of the foundation. After arriving in the new colony to be founded, the Oikistes determined the land distribution and the road grid. In his honor, sanctuaries were built in the colony in the manner of the Hiera of the mythical Oikists, games were founded and festivals were held.

There were small changes in the Hellenistic period. People who did not actually found the city were now venerated as city founders. Thus was of Antigonus I Monophthalmus port city founded Antigoneia to the Dardanelles by his successor Lysimachus in Alexandria Troas renamed. This renaming was seen as the founding of the city and Antigonus, previously venerated as the city's founder, was replaced by a cult for Lysimachus. The function of the oikist became a political one.

List of famous oikists:

literature

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