Towards the Greek colonisation : the interaction between Greece and Italy from the end of the Bronze Age to the Iron Age
This thesis concerns the development of long-distance connections between Italy and Greece from the fall of the Greek Mycenaean palaces to the foundation of the earliest colonies in Italy (ca. 12th to 7th centuries BC). I focus on four case studies - two each in Italy (Basilicata and Salento) and Greece (Achaea and Laconia) - in order to understand the socioeconomic contexts that enabled long distance contacts to develop and how local changes affected them through time. My hypothesis is that local, hierarchical changes in Italian and Greek communities had a direct effect on the intensity of Italian-Greek exchange and reciprocal entanglement. I demonstrate that this was indeed the case, and show that contacts during the early stages of the Early Iron Age were less intensive than the previous and subsequent periods because both areas experienced a reduction in social competition. The principal focus of exchange shifted to metals (in the form of raw materials, finished objects and specialised technological and stylistic knowledge) because control over metal exchange and production allowed local leaders to maintain their status. This period was one of stability and gradual growth that by the end of the Early Iron
Saltini Semerari, Giulia
Towards the Greek colonisation : the interaction between Greece and Italy from the end of the Bronze Age to the Iron Age. This thesis concerns the development of long-distance connections between Italy and Greece from the fall of the Greek Mycenaean palaces to the foundation of the earliest colonies in Italy (ca. 12th to 7th centuries BC). I focus on four case studies - two each in Italy (Basilicata and Salento) and Greece (Achaea and Laconia) - in order to understand the socioeconomic contexts that enabled long distance contacts to develop and how local changes affected them through time. My hypothesis is that local, hierarchical changes in Italian and Greek communities had a direct effect on the intensity of Italian-Greek exchange and reciprocal entanglement. I demonstrate that this was indeed the case, and show that contacts during the early stages of the Early Iron Age were less intensive than the previous and subsequent periods because both areas experienced a reduction in social competition. The principal focus of exchange shifted to metals (in the form of raw materials, finished objects and specialised technological and stylistic knowledge) because control over metal exchange and production allowed local leaders to maintain their status. This period was one of stability and gradual growth that by the end of the Early Iron
towards greek_colonisation interaction greece italy end bronze_age_iron_age concern development long_distance connection italy greece fall greek mycenaean foundation early colony italy focus four_case study italy greece order socioeconomic context enable long_distance contact develop local change_affect time hypothesis local hierarchical change italian greek_community direct effect intensity italian greek exchange reciprocal entanglement indeed case show contact early_stage less intensive previous subsequent period area experience reduction social competition principal_focus exchange shifted metal form raw_material finish object specialise technological stylistic knowledge control metal exchange production allow local leader maintain status period stability gradual growth end early_iron