Why and how Parana had to leave their island in the beginning of the fourth century BC. Kr., Is still unknown. Most of the Greek colonization movement occurs from 8 to 5 century BC, during which he founded in about 700 colonies in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. At that time in the Adriatic Sea was a bit of Greek colonies. They were only on the current Albanian coast (Orikos, Apollonija, Dyrrachium and Lissos), together with important commercial settlement of Athenians and Etruscans in a spin on the north Adriatic Sea, south of Venice. All these settlements established in the latter part of the Archaic period (6th century BC. Kr.). Unlike the rest of the Mediterranean and Black Sea, Adriatic Sea was actually the only free territory in the west where the Greeks to settle in the fourth Ct. Kr.
Fertile, flat and wide, the western (Italian) Adriatic coast continued to have strong indigenous communities, which themselves are traded with the Greeks. In contrast to the western Adriatic coast, east coast consists mostly bare limestone mountains and the coast is very poor, except a few areas. More than 1000 islands lying in front of the indented coastline, which are controlled by local Illyrian tribes, including Histri and Liburni the northeastern Adriatic were richer. With them, the Greeks traded, but it is still the central Dalmatian region was one that the Greeks provided an opportunity to settle. The largest fertile area between the Adriatic islands, is located on the island. This is probably one of the reasons why Hvar was chosen for settlement. Another reason could be the climate, which is almost the same on both islands (Hvar, the average temperature of 2 ° C lower). Hvar island is long and about 100 km ² larger than Paros. With the exception of the central area with about 1200 ha of arable land, and the area around the present town of Hvar, where there are some 150 ha of arable land, the rest of the island is rocky, covered with underbrush and conifers, with only a few small, fertile valley.
The area that is populated northern Parani, the central part of Hvar at the end of Old Town Bay (wave or Starogrojcice), where it starts fertile plains, and where there are sources of drinking water. This area is separated by high mountains of the western part of the island, where the town of Hvar, facing south, and from a long and narrow eastern part, which, like awls tip penetrates the mainland.
Since this central area was the most fertile part of the island was inhabited from the early Neolithic period (about 6000 years BC. Kr.). Several fort – fort – and numerous grave mounds – heaps – imply that the area was inhabited in the period when the Greeks came to Paros. There are assumptions that the indigenous settlement existed at the place where the Pharos was built, but firm evidence is still lacking. However, it is also possible that the archaic Parian colony Anchiale by Stephen Byzantines (6th century) just mentioned, could be here. Several fragments of the Old City of Attic black figural vases, which are kept at the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, along with several others, suggests the earlier Greek settlement.
It seems that the famous Greek philosopher and poet Xenophanes of Colophon (6 / 5. For centuries BC) visited Hvar, where he saw fossils of fish. Xenophon, who has seen more than twenty years, he traveled most of his life. Based on observations of shells and fish fossils found on the ground, he concluded that Earth was once under the sea. Fossils of fish have been found in the Old City, and some are exhibited in the Museum of the Dominican monastery in Old Town.
Greek colonization of the Adriatic
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