XX – RESHAPING THE AEGEAN WORLD - PASSING DARK TIMES

XX – RESHAPING THE AEGEAN WORLD - PASSING DARK TIMES

Great Balkan migrations in the Bronze-Iron Age

While the Mycenaean world was reaching its pinnacle of greatness, between the XIII and XII century BC, there was unrest and turmoil brewing in the northern region of the Balkans resulting in small and large shifts of population. These migrations were caused by the infiltration of Indo-European nomadic pastoralists moving southwards from the middle and lower Danube. These migrations are traceable through archaeological findings from the “culture of field urns” in Pannonia. These migrations caused displacements in the indigenous populations forcing them to move in three different directions; east to Asia Minor, west to Italy and south to the Balkan Peninsula. Located in the Central and Western Balkans were the Scythian-Illyrians, to their east were the Thracians and to their south were the Dorians, later called Hellenes.

About the Scythian or Proto-Slav ethno genesis and expansion in the Balkans, Herodotus (Herodotus, History, IV, 5, 7, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988) said: “The Scythians, when they talked about themselves, said that they were the youngest people in the world... and claimed that from their rise... to Darius’s campaign against them, had on the whole, passed neither less nor more than a thousand years…” Herodotus (Herodotus, History, IV, 8-9, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988) continued: “And the Hellenes from the shores of the Black Sea say that ‘Hercules, pursuing Gerion’s cattle herds, arrived in the country that was uninhabited, in which the Scythians now live...’ and the queen of the Scythians gave birth to three sons... and the youngest was named Skit… All later Scythian kings came from this Skit, the Herculean son...” Again, according to Herodotus (Herodotus, History, V, 9, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988), “the Scythians occupied a wide region of land extending to Enet in the Adriatic and their customs and dress were the same... as the Illyrian Veneti tribe”.

Here is what Herodotus (Herodotus, History, IV, 6, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988) had to say about the name “Scythians”: “All those people were called Skoloti, named after their king. The Hellenes, however, called them “Skiti” (Scythians).” Herodotus (Herodotus, History, IV, 99, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988) continued: “Before Scythia, Thrace was located at the sea (Black Sea). Scythia lay just behind Thrace (now Bulgaria) in the same bay in which the River Istar empties…”

If we summarize what Herodotus has told us about Persian king Darius and his 512 BC campaign against the Scythians in the Balkans, it follows that the Scythians settled the Balkans around 1500 BC. Then, since the Scythians called themselves “Skoloti” (Skolotoi), we can surmise that it was the Scythians who named the toponyms “Skolos” in Macedonian Halkidiki near Olynthus, as well as in Greek Boeotia, on the right bank of the river Asop in Platea, a few kilometres away from Athens. The toponym “Singos”, we established, existed on the west coast of the Singian Gulf (Sinus Singiticus), at today’s mouth of the Sikia River at the Sitonia Peninsula in Halkidiki. From this we have “Singidinum”, Belgrade’s old name and Singi in the Danube.

According to Thucydides (Thucydides, Povijest Peloponeskog installment, III, p. 94 Dereta, Belgrade, 1991), “the Etolians were located at the westernmost part of continental Greece (Sterea Ellada) at the Ionian Sea and spoke an unrecognizable language.” Thucydides lived between 464 and 403 BC when the Illyrian Scythians were already there.

Regarding the migration, Thucydides (Thucydides, Povijest Peloponeskog installment, I, 12, Dereta, Belgrade, 1991) said: “And after the Trojan War people were still moving and thus Hellada was unable to calm down and rise above it all. The return of the Hellenes from Troy was a stretch and caused many revolutions and rebellions to take place and people flooded the cities, taking refuge in them and founding new cities...”

Migration “Domino effect”

The first wave of migration covered the Mid-Podunavie and the Central Balkans, i.e. Hyperborea. The Mosinians from Lower Milanovats migrated in two directions as follows:

One group, navigating the Danube, moved to the shores of the Black Sea, to Trbizond on the north coast of Asia Minor. Another group, traveling by land along the Morava and Vardar Rivers, arrived in Prespa Region and Karakamen (Bermion) Mountain where it got the ethnic name “Brigians”, on account of Lake Prespa then called “Lake Brigian”. After some time the Brigians migrated to Asia Minor and named themselves Phrygians.

The Misi or Mezi were from Mishara in Machva and migrated to northwestern Asia Minor where they founded Greater Mizia.

The Mioni, originally from western Serbia, moved to the furthest reaches of the western coast of Asia Minor where they established their capital city Sardis. Mionia in 713 BC changed its name and became known as Lydia. The Kaki, originally from around Vincha near Belgrade and from the Island Chaklian, migrated to Rome. The Eritiei from the Island Eritia migrated to Sardinia.

The Daunians from the Danube migrated to Egypt: the last group of Aeolians.

The Minians of Minichevo, near Timok, first settled in the Thessalian Plains, then a smaller group migrated to Troy and Armenia and another group migrated to Boeotia, Elida, Ter and Kirena on the African coast.

The Lapitite of Lapovo in Sumadia, along with the Minians, formed colonies in Thessaly and then became rulers of the Pelasgians of Athens.

The Flegiti (flego means fire) from Stishko Pole and Pozharevats also moved to Thessaly.

The Sirakovians or Tiroi as well as the Eoliti, first moved to Thessaly and then went south to the Peloponnesus where they occupied western Elida and Pil, and then Athens.

The Bithynians from Binachka Morava and from the city of Bitina migrated to Bithynia in the Black Sea.

Migrating waves of Scythians, descendants of Hercules and Shumadian queen Exidna, invaded western Macedonia. These people became the new Macedonians about whom Thucydides (Thucydides, Povijest Peloponeskog installment, II, p. 99, Dereta, Belgrade, 1991), the greatest historian of antiquity, wrote: “Included among the Macedonians are the Lynkestes and Elimianites and other tribes from the upper side, who are their allies but have their own kingdoms. Current Macedonia to the sea was acquired first by Alexander, Perdicas’s father and his ancestors the Temenidi, who originated from Arg (Rupishcha). They became kings after conquests and after driving the Pierians out of Pieria who later settled under Pangei, over the Strymon Fagret and other places... and the Botoians from so-called Botia, now living in the Halkigian neighbourhood. The Macedonians also acquired some land from Paeonia, a narrow piece across the River Aktsia, which extended from the interior to Pella and to the sea... they ruled Migdonia and drove out the Edonians... and after that they drove out the Eordians from Eordia... and the Almopians from Almopia. The Macedonians became masters of all remaining tribes which they still have under their control, and Antemunt and Grestonia and Bizaltia, as well

as a large part of existing Macedonian lands, are now all called Macedonia...”

A western migration wave of Scythian Illyrians spread to the eastern shores of the Adriatic up to Epirus. They were “Veneti (Herodotus, History, I, 196, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988) from the Illyrian tribes”. They drove out the Pelasgian-Tresprotians who then fled to Thessaly. (Herodotus, History, VII, 176, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988.)

Regarding these migrations, Thucydides (Thucydides, Povijest Peloponeskog installment, p. I, 12, Dereta, Belgrade, 1991) said: “...Sixty years after Ilei’s capture, today’s Beotians were expelled from Thessalian Arn (Tesprotians) and settled in present day Boeotia, which earlier was called the land of the Cadmians. The Dorians or Hellenes, together with the Herculeans, occupied the Peloponnesus during the eightieth year… The Athenians settled Ionia and most of the island, while most of Italy and Cecily and some other remaining parts of Hellada were settled by the Peloponnesians. And all this took place after the Trojan War.”

New refugee colonies on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor

The Pan Ionian territorial alliance of Asia Minor was founded by the Aeolian Beotians, Fokidians and Lokridians from Thessaly, a people of Panonian descent. Natives, under pressure from the Scythians, migrated from their native lands by sea, traveling from island to island from Lemno, to Tened to Lezbo and to the eastern shores of the Aegean where they established their colonies and twelve cities. They occupied the area south of Troy, up to the Menander River and established the two Magnesias deep in Asia Minor.

Here is what Herodotus (Herodotus, History, I, 19-152, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988) had to say about the 12 cities: “... These are the Aeolian cities: Kima, called Frikonian, Larissa, the fortresses Neon, Temno, Mila, Notei, Egiruz, Pitana, Egeia, Mirina and Grineia. These eleven cities always possessed Aeolian features, only the 12th city, Smyrna, possessed Ionian features. All these twelve cities were built inland. The Aeolians settled the more fertile and better parts of the land than did the Ionians who settled lands that did not have a good climate... The cities located in the area of Mount Ida constituted a special group... From the islands they inhabited Lezbos and Tened...” In this arrangement the Aeolians of Asia Minor formed the Pan-Ionian alliance in 1053 BC.

The Pan-Ionian Alliance was established by refugees from Athens and from other parts of Attica who were led there by Nelei, younger son of Athenian king Kodar, who was of Panonian origin. Nelei, his brothers and a number of Eubean and Peloponnesian refugees migrated to the Aegean islands Mikladi, Hei, Sam, Naks etc. and went on to Asia Minor where they founded Miletus and the other cities; a total of twelve. Mixed with the Ionians were the Minians of Orhomen, the Cadmians, the Molosi, the Pelasgians and others. All together they created the “Pan Ionian Alliance”. They also built a shrine dedicated to Poseidon and introduced the “Pan Ionian Festivals”. According to Eratosthenes, these migrations took place in 1044 BC.

Dark Age of Aegean civilization

The Trojan War, Indo-European people migrating, destruction of existing communities, refugees fleeing and new colonization were all factors that led to societal disintegration, setting back all types of developments and degrading living conditions for the existing communities. Historically this period falls in a special category known as the “Dark Age of Aegean civilization”. During this period the Aeolian gods of Olympus began to diminish, the megaroni and the Minian treasuries of Orhomen were being demolished and so were “Nestor’s Palace” in Pil, the Mycenaean Civilization and the Knosos Culture. Trade with Africa, the Middle East and the Adriatic world began to diminish. Clay documents were no longer produced, monumental memorials began to disappear and the Olympic Games were suspended.

Most residents of the region devoted their time to farming and agriculture. Ownership of livestock became the new measure of wealth. Families began to dominate the economy. Initially the craft trade was primitive but gradually developed with making and selling of military equipment such as shields, bows, arrows, spears, knives etc. With the rise of superstition came the fortune-tellers, quacks and traveling poets. The Kingdoms had unique political systems, especially the Spartans who introduced eugenics. Of all the various people living in the region, the Dorians or Hellenes were the first people to spread their rule. Most of the trade was managed by the Phoenicians.

The Dark Age lasted from about 1200BC to 800 BC and everything started all over again. This new period came to be known as the “archaic era” and lasted until the middle of the VI century BC, representing a milestone in ancient civilization. The first seeds of revival began to germinate on the eastern shores of the Aegean Sea after the Aeolian and Ionian consolidation took place, Homer’s words were introduced and the Phoenician alphabet became widely utilized.

According to Herodotus (Herodotus, History, V, 19-152, Matica Srpska, Belgrade, 1988), “The Hellenes learned many useful things from the Phoenicians... above all they learned their letters... In the beginning they wrote the same as the Phoenician, but later, in parallel with changes made to the language, they also made changes to some of the letters. At that time Ionians lived everywhere together with Phoenicians and learned how to write from them, slightly changing some of the letters to serve them better but rightly so, they still called those letters Phoenician letters... they wrote on sheep and goat skins...”

The Phoenician alphabet had 22 consonants and no vowels. The Ionians and Aeolians, however, were not content with the existing alphabet and felt that they needed to adjust the Paleo-Balkan glossology by adding and modifying a few letters, so that there were 24 letters in the alphabet. This “Ionian” modification of the Phoenician alphabet was officially accepted by the people even in Athens, as early as 403 BC, during Archon Euklid’s rule. (Papastavrou, I.: Istoria tis Arhaias Ellados, p. 61, Hiotelli, Athinai, 1972.) The people along the shores of the Aegean, under the new conditions established by the Aeolians and the Ionians, gradually began to develop their art, drawing inspiration from Eastern architectural art. They were also inspired by and copied Mycenaean art which was very similar to Cretan art. The Orhomen Thessalians and the Beotians, on the other hand, had a style of their own. Using the Egyptian model and adding indigenous variations they developed what came to be known as “Aeolian-Ionian” style architecture, such as the “Ionic Pillars” etc. For example, on the beautiful road in Delos they built the Laveian Way, which led to Holy Lake, Apollo’s sanctuary, the Temple of Artemis etc.

There are many different, witty and heated arguments devoted to the “Greek” myth and to the “Homer Question” which have raged for more than two and a half thousand years. So, to add to these arguments, we will present the results of our own research in the next chapter.