Preliminary Study On The Corinthian Colonization And Her Relationship With Colonies

Corinth,which located in the north of Peloponnese Peninsula,enjoyed a convenient isthmus transportation network.And she abounded with olives,grapes,pine trees,limestone and high-quality pottery,etc.With the joint efforts of numerous handicraftsmen and businessmen,she is known as "wealthy" in the Greek world.The desire for wealth stimulated Corinthians to explore and expand actively.At the same time,politically,she experienced the successive rule of early kings,aristocratic families and tyrants.For city-state rulers,the growing power enabled them to realize their ambitions.In this context,Corinth began to establish colonies overseas.Corinth played a very prominent role in Greek colonization.On the one hand,she chosed to develop westward in the direction of colonization at first.No one can defeat her powerful army and Navy.She successively set up many colonies in Sicily,along the Adriatic Sea,and in the Acarnania.Meanwhile,she tried to expand eastward and eventually successfully established a new colony on the Chalcidice Peninsula,which near Macedonia and Thrace.Through these colonies,she not only developed the western waters of Greece into her own sphere of influence,but also successfully integrated the eastern and western sides of the Mediterranean into her long-distance trading network.On the other hand,unlike other ancient Greek city-states,she has her own set of criteria in dealing with the relationship between metropolis and colony.According to the distance and strategic importance of the colony.She will decide whether to strengthen control over her.Under the guidance of these criteria,they had various relations.Many small-scale colonies in the northwestern waters have been under her informal control for a long time,and depend heavily on her.The relationships between distant Syracuse and Potidaea and her tended to be more equal.But some colonies were not satisfied with her control.Corcyra,whose economic and military strength is no less than hers,often clashes with her.Only occasionally can Corcyra think of the "mother-child relationship" between the two sides.