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Remembering Greece © The network of the ancient Greek colonies. By Professor Tomislav Sola Zagreb May, 2009. Starting Facts: why emigration?. Wars and famine at home prompted emigration, and it was also presumed that more land was available in Italy than in Greece.
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Remembering Greece © The network of the ancient Greek colonies By Professor Tomislav Sola Zagreb May, 2009
Starting Facts: why emigration? Wars and famine at home prompted emigration, and it was also presumed that more land was available in Italy than in Greece.
Starting Facts: the power of the Ancent World Classical Greece was at the roots and beginning of European civilization. Its expansion all over Mediterranean was a natural consequence of its power, of the spread of its trading routes and the superiority of its military, civil and cultural achievements.
Why the project? • Ancient Greek colonization has become part of the common European Heritage and attractive patrimony consisting of archaeological sites, findings, toponyms etc. • The time is sensitive for heritage like no other before • The the spread of the Greek presence in the Mediterranean and even wider, has been in many ways decisive for the character of life that developped latter in the same spots. • The traces of the Greek presence remained even after the decline, and they are, in way, - still living today.
Why the network? • Uniting all this places, even if a hundred among more than two hundred odd, originaly existing, respond positively to form a common network, -will create a great force. • Equally important, it would spread the sensibility for the tourist offer of actual Greece and contribute still more to its powerful brand. Therefore, some assistance of present Greek state could be expected. • Networking of this sort falls well into European and Mediterranenan initiatives. • The network can function as a unique system of web-sites and tiny, small or bigger visitor centres and heritage sites.
Why the name?Re – membering Greecesuggests that: • The ancient Greece is is a common denominator to many • Putting the Ancient Greece back together in a symbolic way, after all bad sentiment has gone • The name of the network is optional and yet is suggests the quality of collective memory. As "re-membering", the title suggests a sort of play of meanings in the sense of re-constructing the once existing whole.
Starting Facts: Ionians and Sikelia The Ionians were the first Greeks to establish a permanent presence in Sicily, where they encountered an Italic society, the Sicels, hence the Greeks' name for the island, Sikelia.
Many of the greatest Greek myths, and some of the greatest Greek temples and amphitheatres, are Sicilian. Within a few centuries of its foundation, the Sicilian city of Syracuse (Siracusa), the birthplace of Archimedes, came to rival Athens in power and prestige. Why Sicily?
Why Sicily for the Re-membering Greece network centre? • Only the Romans were more culturally influential, and classical historians often speak of "Greco-Roman" culture almost as though Greece and Rome were "twins." • Roman ruins are not lacking in Sicily, but anybody seeking an exclusively "Latin" heritage comparable to that of Milan, Turin or Benevento will be disappointed;the patrimony of Greek Sicily is at least as apparent as that of Roman Sicily
Why Sicily needs a visitor centre Re-membering Greeceand should lead the Mediterranean network? • Syracuse (Siracusa) was founded a few years afterward by colonists from Corinth. • Zancle (Messina) foundation followed about the same time. Near both these localities were earlier ports --in some form-- already known to Greek navigators. A number of other colonies sprung up along the Ionian coast about this time: • Megara (or Megara Hyblaea, near Augusta) prominent among these: this settlement was established in 728 BC by immigrants from Megara in Greece. • Katane (Catania) was settled around the same time. • Gelawas founded during the same period by colonists from Rhodes and Crete. • Selinus (Selinunte) was founded in the following century. • Akragas (Agrigento) is a younger city, established around 580 BC by citizens of Gela. • Egesta (Segesta), the Elymian city of was gradually Hellenized during this same general period.
Starting Facts: the first settlement A group arrived to found Naxos (near Taormina) around 735 BC. This is believed to be the first permanent Greek settlement in Sicily. What followed was a rapid colonization on a large scale.
Where to situate the network centre?Why not Taormina? • Location of the interpretation center of network, its central exhibition, administration and the action centre is negotiable. • Many cities with the same Greek beginning would be eager to acept it as an attraction and an international meeting point with such a powerful cultural common denominator.
Using millenia for PR This network that could ideally consist of some 200 former apoikai or emporia which, cummulativelywould create the unprecedented power of public relations for each member of the network.
Some other beneficial effects of the network • This network that could ideally consist of some 200 former apoikai or emporia would create the unprecedented power of public relations. • The symbolic re-establishment of ancient relations by "twining" between the colonies and their former mother-cities would even further create very special synergy and extraordinary effects for a little initial investment. • It would be building, in fact, a sort of alternative network of public relation outposts all over the Mediterranean and Black Sea area. • Its character, so well implanted into the definitions of Europe and incentives for further international cooperation could most probably count with such understanding with some European funds and programmes. • The good consequence of the network would also be its reach beyond the borders of present EU which might give to EU institutions excellent motives to support it.
The new network for Mediterannean (and Black sea) • Uniting about hundred and fifty places / towns /cities into a common network providing them with cummulative visibility within the cultural tourism industry • Bringing all the members of this possible network an additional international public visibility • Organizing interpretation centres and international travelling exhibitions • Catching the interest of European / Mediterranenan political and cultural associations • Catching the attention and spread the sensibility for the tourist offer of actual Greece and contribute still more to its powerful brand.
