_en.svg/2000px-AncientGreekDialects_(Woodard)_en.svg.png)
Recent from talks
Iron Age Greek migrations
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Iron Age Greek migrations
The Iron Age Greek migrations occurred from the middle of the 11th century to the end of the 9th century BCE (the Greek Dark Ages). The movements resulted in the settlement of the Aegean islands, Cyprus, Crete, and the western coast of Asia Minor. New cities were founded which afterwards became centers of Greek civilization. Tribal groups migrated in consecutive waves known as the Aeolic, Ionian, Doric, and Achaean (Arcadian) migrations.
Compared to the Greek colonisations of the Archaic period, the Iron Age Migrations were more ad hoc affairs, rather than being a planned settlement organised by a mother city. They are also less well-documented historically. In folk histories, they are often said to have been led by legendary leaders, such as Hercules or Orestes.
During the 13th century BCE the Dorians, probably originating from the regions of Epirus and southern Macedonia, moved farther south into Central Greece, with a centre of power in Doris. The Dorians knew ironworking, which was a new technology during this period, and rapidly grew into a great power. The Dorians then expanded further into the regions inhabited by the Aetolians and the Locrians.
According to Herodotus, the Dorians displaced the previous inhabitants, called the Dryopes, and the Dryopes then fled to Euboea, the islands of the Cyclades, and to southern Argolis. In Euboea they set up a state in Carystus while in southern Argolis they founded the cities of Hermione, Asine, Heiones and Mases. This movement of the Dryopes was the first meaningful one in the region of Southern Greece in the shift from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.
After consolidating their rule in the area of Stereas, the Dorians organized a campaign against the wealthy and powerful kings of Achaea in the Peloponnese. They were joined by two neighboring tribes, the Aetolians and the Boeotians, who fought with the Dorians either as allies or under their authority. In the middle of the 12th century BCE, the Dorians attacked the Peloponnese, crossing Strait of Rion with their fleet. According to the Pausanias, they crossed into the Peloponnese at the narrows of Rion-Antirion by ship, which provides the origin of the name of the city of Naupactus at this location (naus is "ship" in Greek.).
Upon their arrival in the Peloponnese, the Dorians split into four groups and each of them moved to capture one of the principal Achaean kingdoms. One group under the leadership of Cresphontes moved on Messenia and captured the kingdom of Pylos, a second group under the leadership of Aristodemus moved on Laconia and established itself in Sparta, while the third under the leadership of Temenos took Argos and Mycenae. Mycenae is supposed to have been destroyed by the Dorians around 1150 BCE. Finally, a fourth group under the leadership of Aletes, son of Hippotes moved towards the isthmus of Corinth and took the area around Corinth.
The conquest of the Peloponnese by the Dorians caused further upheavals. The Achaeans of Argolis moved northward and established themselves in the region of Achaea, displacing the Ionians, and subsequently moved east from the region of Corinth. First establishing themselves in Euboea, displacing the previous inhabitants there, the Abantes and continued on to the Aegean and the coast of Asia Minor. According to the traditional narrative, the Ionians of Attica were able to repulse the Dorian invasion, as evidenced by the continuity of their kingship of Codrus morphing into the archonship (or kingship) of his son Medon.
In the same period as Dorian invasion of the Peloponnese, other groups were migrating as well. The Thessalians, moved from Thesprotia into the area of Thessaly, displacing the earlier Aeolophone tribe who had inhabited that area. The Thessalians spurred the Boeotians to move southward into the area of Boeotia. Other peoples who had lived in Thessaly and Boeotia fled to the islands of Northeast Aegean Sea and established themselves in Lesbos, and Tenedos, and the Moschonesi (Fragrant Isles). These inhabitants were later called Aeolians from the name of a Thessalic tribe who had taken part in the migration.
Hub AI
Iron Age Greek migrations AI simulator
(@Iron Age Greek migrations_simulator)
Iron Age Greek migrations
The Iron Age Greek migrations occurred from the middle of the 11th century to the end of the 9th century BCE (the Greek Dark Ages). The movements resulted in the settlement of the Aegean islands, Cyprus, Crete, and the western coast of Asia Minor. New cities were founded which afterwards became centers of Greek civilization. Tribal groups migrated in consecutive waves known as the Aeolic, Ionian, Doric, and Achaean (Arcadian) migrations.
Compared to the Greek colonisations of the Archaic period, the Iron Age Migrations were more ad hoc affairs, rather than being a planned settlement organised by a mother city. They are also less well-documented historically. In folk histories, they are often said to have been led by legendary leaders, such as Hercules or Orestes.
During the 13th century BCE the Dorians, probably originating from the regions of Epirus and southern Macedonia, moved farther south into Central Greece, with a centre of power in Doris. The Dorians knew ironworking, which was a new technology during this period, and rapidly grew into a great power. The Dorians then expanded further into the regions inhabited by the Aetolians and the Locrians.
According to Herodotus, the Dorians displaced the previous inhabitants, called the Dryopes, and the Dryopes then fled to Euboea, the islands of the Cyclades, and to southern Argolis. In Euboea they set up a state in Carystus while in southern Argolis they founded the cities of Hermione, Asine, Heiones and Mases. This movement of the Dryopes was the first meaningful one in the region of Southern Greece in the shift from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age.
After consolidating their rule in the area of Stereas, the Dorians organized a campaign against the wealthy and powerful kings of Achaea in the Peloponnese. They were joined by two neighboring tribes, the Aetolians and the Boeotians, who fought with the Dorians either as allies or under their authority. In the middle of the 12th century BCE, the Dorians attacked the Peloponnese, crossing Strait of Rion with their fleet. According to the Pausanias, they crossed into the Peloponnese at the narrows of Rion-Antirion by ship, which provides the origin of the name of the city of Naupactus at this location (naus is "ship" in Greek.).
Upon their arrival in the Peloponnese, the Dorians split into four groups and each of them moved to capture one of the principal Achaean kingdoms. One group under the leadership of Cresphontes moved on Messenia and captured the kingdom of Pylos, a second group under the leadership of Aristodemus moved on Laconia and established itself in Sparta, while the third under the leadership of Temenos took Argos and Mycenae. Mycenae is supposed to have been destroyed by the Dorians around 1150 BCE. Finally, a fourth group under the leadership of Aletes, son of Hippotes moved towards the isthmus of Corinth and took the area around Corinth.
The conquest of the Peloponnese by the Dorians caused further upheavals. The Achaeans of Argolis moved northward and established themselves in the region of Achaea, displacing the Ionians, and subsequently moved east from the region of Corinth. First establishing themselves in Euboea, displacing the previous inhabitants there, the Abantes and continued on to the Aegean and the coast of Asia Minor. According to the traditional narrative, the Ionians of Attica were able to repulse the Dorian invasion, as evidenced by the continuity of their kingship of Codrus morphing into the archonship (or kingship) of his son Medon.
In the same period as Dorian invasion of the Peloponnese, other groups were migrating as well. The Thessalians, moved from Thesprotia into the area of Thessaly, displacing the earlier Aeolophone tribe who had inhabited that area. The Thessalians spurred the Boeotians to move southward into the area of Boeotia. Other peoples who had lived in Thessaly and Boeotia fled to the islands of Northeast Aegean Sea and established themselves in Lesbos, and Tenedos, and the Moschonesi (Fragrant Isles). These inhabitants were later called Aeolians from the name of a Thessalic tribe who had taken part in the migration.
Recent media