Ancient Greek city-state colonization

In the eighth to sixth centuries BC, the Greeks carried out extensive overseas colonial movements while forming city-states. The scope of colonization extended to most areas of the Mediterranean and the entire Black Sea coast, so it was historically called the "Great Colonization." The great colonization was caused by the economic and political conditions of Greek society at that time. The reasons for the large number of colonists at this time are as follows:

1. The internal political struggle in the city was fierce, and groups that failed in the struggle had difficulty in establishing a foothold in the city-state and moved out one after another.

2. Industry and commerce were relatively developed at that time. Industrial and commercial slave owners were very active. In order to seek more sources of raw materials and slaves, they found new ways to establish commercial bases in other places. Their commercial strongholds gradually formed city-states.

3. The social polarization between rich and poor is serious. During the process of polarization, farmers who are deeply in debt have no choice but to emigrate one after another in order to make a living.

4. "The pressure of excess population on productivity." Within the narrow scope of the city-state, the level of productivity development at that time could not meet the needs of a larger population, and "the only way out was forced immigration." For example, in the late seventh century BC, there was a severe drought on the island of Delos. There was no rain for seven years. The residents were forced to draw lots to choose one of the two brothers to colonize Cyrene in Leah.

After the colonists arrived at their destination, they immediately drove away or enslaved the indigenous residents, distributed land, implemented the slave production method, and established new city-states. This type of city-state generally implements the political system of the mother state, but is not politically dependent on the mother state, but is independent.

The Greeks colonized a wide area, reaching Sicily, Spain, France and southern Italy in the west, and the northern coast of Africa in the south. However, they occupied a small area because there were Upper Egypt and Carthage (Philippines). Nigeria's colony). It reaches Asia Minor and the Black Sea coast in the east and northeast.

The colonial movement had the following three impacts:

1. It caused huge disasters to the colonial people. The nature of the immigration movement is a kind of political and economic expansion. The relationship between the immigrant city-state and the original mother state is one of aggression, double labor and exploitation. Greece

The colonists invaded the land of the indigenous residents, captured slaves, plundered materials, carried out commercial exploitation and pirate robbery, causing huge disasters to the original residents of the colony.

2. Promoted the development of industry and commerce and strengthened the industrial and commercial slave-owning class. The alliance between industrial and commercial slave owners and common people was a major feature of the political development of Greek cities, especially in city-states with industrial and commercial development represented by Athens. Industrial and commercial slave owners and common people united to resist the monopoly power of the clan aristocrats. By resisting the aristocracy, The struggle was ultimately victorious, and aristocracy was replaced by slavery-based democracy. Only in Sparta did the regime maintain the form of aristocratic aristocracy for a long time. Therefore, the development of industry and commerce, the growth of the industrial and commercial slave-owning class and its alliance with the common people, to a certain extent, promoted the development of the common people's struggle against the aristocracy.

3. It strengthened the connections between city-states and overseas places, objectively promoted economic and cultural exchanges between city-states and Greeks and colonial peoples, and helped Greece contact and absorb the culture of Egypt, Babylonia and Phoenicia. Provides convenience.