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Corinth Publication: McIlvaine, Greek Colonization of the Balkans: ... 2012 | Collection: | | Corinth | | Name: | | McIlvaine, Greek Colonization of the Balkans: ... 2012 | | Title: | | Greek Colonization of the Balkans: Bioarchaeological Reconstruction of Behavior and Lifestyle during Corinthian Colonial Expansion into Ancient Apollonia, Albania | | Author: | | McIlvaine, Britney Kyle | | Publication Place: | | Columbus | | Date: | | 2012 | | Abstract: | | This dissertation research explores the relationship between behavior, health, and culture change on the Balkan Peninsula in the sixth century BC, during a period of colonization and potential exploitation of local ancient Illyrians at the Greek colony of Apollonia, Albania by their Corinthian Greek colonizers. An immense array of biological and cultural disruptions resulted from European contact in the New World and other contexts. However, the cultural and biological effects of Greek colonialism in the Mediterranean basin remain largely unexplored. This research examines the complex interplay between Mediterranean populations during an important transitional period in history, the development and expansion of the Classical Greek city-state. /p This study tests three hypotheses: (1) a long history of economic interaction throughout the Mediterranean resulted in long-term gene flow between Greeks and Illyrians. This pattern of human biological interaction is tested by identifying patterns of genetic relatedness using biological distance analysis at the Greek colony of Apollonia, Albania. Second, (2) skeletal indicators of stress increased in local ancient Albanian populations though not to the extent we see in other contexts in response to urbanization, a development particular to colonization of the region by Greece. And finally, (3) skeletal indicators of stress decreased at Corinth following the establishment of its colonies due to an influx of agricultural products and other foreign goods. Although it is generally assumed that health and wealth improved for colonial powers following the establishment of their colonies, this has not been tested. /p Logistic regression analysis suggests an Illyrian contribution to the gene pool at the Corinthian colony of Apollonia. There was greater phenetic similarity between colonial Apollonia and prehistoric Illyrian populations, than with Corinth. However, low biological distances between all of the study populations suggests homogeneity between these populations, and may represent long-term gene flow and shared ancestry among Balkan populations. Although each Mediterranean community held a unique set of cultural norms, and practices, all cultures of the Mediterranean shared certain features that come from a long history of economic interaction. /p The prevalence of skeletal stress increased at Apollonia following colonization. The effects of poor sanitation, exposure to contagious disease, and increased parasitism associated with settlement in close, crowded communities likely provided the conditions conducive to this reduction in skeletal health. However, evidence of oral lesion prevalence showed no change following colonization, suggesting that diet remained unchanged during the colonial transition. Although physiological stress was exacerbated at Apollonia following colonization, skeletal health may have improved at Corinth after the establishment of colonial relationships. These data suggest an economic motivation and benefit for Corinthian colonization of the Adriatic. This research suggest that Corinthian colonial policy was liberal and aimed towards resource extraction in order to support the growing Corinthian population, rather than violent expulsion or exploitation of the local Illyrian population. This research is the first to estimate human nutrition, disease, and behavior derived from human skeletal remains at both the Greek colony of Apollonia and Corinth, its founder city, during a period spanning the Bronze Age through the historical periods. | | URL: | | http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgi?acc_num=osu1331137365 |
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