![]() The very term 'colonization' infers the domination of indigenous peoples, a feeling of cultural superiority by the colonizers, and a specific cultural homeland which controls and drives the whole process. Some areas of the Mediterranean saw fully-Greek poleis established, while in other areas there were only trading posts composed of more temporary residents such as merchants and sailors. It is also difficult to determine the exact degree of colonization and integration with local populations. However, the process of colonization was likely more gradual and organic than ancient sources would suggest. Then, from the mid-8th to mid-6th centuries BCE, the Greek city-states ( poleis) and individual groups started to expand beyond Greece with more deliberate and longer-term intentions. Trade centres and free markets ( emporia) were the forerunners of colonies proper. The process of colonization was likely more gradual & organic than ancient sources would suggest. In total then, the Greeks established some 500 colonies which involved up to 60,000 Greek citizen colonists, so that by 500 BCE these new territories would eventually account for 40% of all Greeks in the Hellenic World. One of the most important consequences of this process, in broad terms, was that the movement of goods, people, art, and ideas in this period spread the Greek way of life far and wide to Spain, France, Italy, the Adriatic, the Black Sea, and North Africa. ![]() ![]() These could have varying degrees of contact with the homeland, but most became fully independent city-states, sometimes very Greek in character, in other cases culturally closer to the indigenous peoples they neighboured and included within their citizenry. Trade was usually the first step in the colonization process and then, after local populations were subdued or included within the colony, cities were established. As a consequence, they founded colonies across the Mediterranean. From around 800 BCE, ancient Greek city-states, most of which were maritime powers, began to look beyond Greece for land and resources. ![]()
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