Archaic Eretria - A political and social history from the earliest times to 490 BC

361 Pages·2004·6.47 MB·English

by  Keith G. Walker

ARCHAIC ERETRIA
This book presents for the first time a history of Eretria during the Archaic Era, the city’s
most notable period of political importance.
Keith Walker examines all the major elements of the city’s success. One of the key
factors explored is Eretria’s role as a pioneer coloniser in both the Levant and the West—
its early Aegean ‘island empire’ anticipates that of Athens by more than a century, and
Eretrian shipping and trade was similarly widespread.
We are shown how the strength of the navy conferred thalassocratic status on the city
between 506 and 490 BC, and that the importance of its rowers (Eretria means ‘the
rowing city’) probably explains the appearance of its democratic constitution. Walker
dates this to the last decade of the sixth century; given the presence of Athenian political
exiles there, this may well have provided a model for the later reforms of Kleisthenes in
Athens.
Eretria’s major, indeed dominant, role in the events of central Greece in the last half of
the sixth century, and in the events of the Ionian Revolt to 490, is clearly demonstrated,
and the tyranny of Diagoras (c. 538–509), perhaps the golden age of the city, is fully
examined.
Full documentation of literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources (most of which
have previously been inaccessible to an English-speaking audience) is provided, creating
a fascinating history and a valuable resource for the Greek historian.
Keith Walker is a Research Associate in the Department of Classics, History and
Religion at the University of New England, Armidale, Australia.
ARCHAIC ERETRIA
A political and social history from
the earliest times to 490 BC
Keith G.Walker

LONDON AND NEW YORK
First published 2004
by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2006.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or
Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks
please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
© 2004 Keith G.Walker
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN 0-203-49108-4 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-57128-2 (Adobe e-Reader Format)
ISBN 0-415-28552-6 (Print Edition)
This work is dedicated with gratitude and love
to Geoff Cooke amico socioque carissimo;
without your patience, help and
encouragement it could never have been
completed
CONTENTS
List of illustrations vii
Preface x
Documentation and conventions xii
Acknowledgements xiv
1 The geography of Euboia and the Eretrias 1
2 Prehistory, mythology and cult: the earliest inhabitants of
Euboia from the late Neolithic Age to the end of the
Mycenaean Age 27
3 Old Eretria (Lefkandi) during the Dark Ages and early Iron

Age (c. 1050 to c. 750) 72
4 Eretria from c. 825 to c. 650 89
5 Eretria: its history in the wider Greek world during the

seventh and early sixth centuries 139
6 Eretria: emergent ‘great power’ of the mid-sixth century 178
7 The tyranny of Diagoras (c. 538–509) 201
8 The Eretrian democracy (c. 509–490) 228
9 Eretria in the 490s 260
10 Epilogue 277
Appendix 1: Chronological tables and notes 279
Appendix 2: Minoan notes 282
Appendix 3: The Kypselidai, Theognis and the low chronology 284
Appendix 4: The source of Strabo’s description of the Amarynthos stele

(10, 1, 10, c. 448) 286
Appendix 5: Corinth in central Greece (519–506) 289
Bibliograhy 291
Index locorum 315
General index 322
Index of authors 344
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Maps
1 Euboia 1
2 The Eretrias 2
3 The site of Lefkandi 73
4 Site location plan of Archaic Eretria 95
Figures
1.1 The Euripos narrows and the old swing bridge at Khalkis 3
1.2 Hot springs erupting at the site of the ancient spa on the coast at Aidepsos 3
1.3 The ancient pass between Khalkis and Kerinthos 4
1.4 Cape Artemision and the Straits of Oreoi 5
1.5 The Throne of Hera at the summit of Mt Dirphys 5
1.6 Barley and vegetable crops on the Lelantine Plain near Myktas 6
1.7 The Kerinthos Plain near Mantoudhi 7
1.8 The dry bed of the River Lelas at Vasilikon in summer 8
1.9 View of Khalkis and the Euripos from the mainland 9
1.10 View of Karystos and its harbour from the Venetian castro on the slopes

of Mt Okhe 10
1.11 The bed of the Boudoros in spring; levée banks protect against flash-

flooding 11
1.12 Flowering Cercis siliquastrum(Judas tree) against a background of fir and

pine forests, central Euboia 12
1.13 Forests of fir (Abies alba and A. cephalonica) 13
1.14 Eretrian tetradachm c. 550–11 BC, with gorgoneion and bull’s/cow’s

head, in the British Museum 13
1.15 Mt Olympos from the site of the gymnasion at Eretria 16
1.16 Rugged mountain and valley near Avlonari in the Eretrias 17
1.17 The Eretrian (Amarynthian) Plain from the southern slopes of the

acropolis of Eretria 17
1.18 The ‘acropolis’ of Dystos from the drained lake bed 18
1.19 The stone quarry on the north-east slope of the Eretrian acropolis 19
1.20 (a) The kalos inscription high on the cut face of the acropolis quarry: 20
(sixth century); (b) detail of the kalos
inscription with the visible letters emphasised
2.1 The Xeropolis headland, Lefkandi, the site of the prehistoric settlement,

from the west bay 45
2.2 The headland of Palaioekklisies, thought to be the site of prehistoric

Amarynthos 48
3.1 Animal-style LH IIIC pyxis from Lefkandi, Eretria Museum 74
3.2 The ‘Ship Vase’ (globular pyxis) 850–25 BC from Lefkandi, Eretria

Museum 76
3.3 Line drawing of the ship vase 77
3.4 The Centaur of Lefkandi, Eretria Museum 78
3.5 The MPG ‘Archer Hydria’ from Lefkandi, Eretria Museum 80
3.6 View from Xeropolis Hill over the east bay, towards the acropolis of

Eretria and Mt Olympos 84
4.1 The Eretrian Plain—orchards and cropland on shallow limestone soils 94
4.2 The ashlar Hellenistic north-west acropolis wall tower 97
4.3 The acropolis from near the West Gate 98
4.4 View over Eretria from the acropolis hill showing the harbour, the city

delta plain, etc. 98
4.5 The bridge at the West Gate 101
4.6 Fine-fitting archaic polygonal masonry at the West Gate 101
4.7 The channel of the western stream and the ashlar masonry of the western

section of the enceint wall, which served also as a retaining wall 102
4.8 Polygonal masonry of the acropolis wall 103
4.9 The author at the site of the temenos of Apollo Daphnephoros 104
4.10 The temenos site 104
4.11 The small Thesmophoreion on the slopes of the acropolis 106
4.12 Bronze burial cauldrons from the heroön site, Eretria Museum 108
4.13 Geometric burial amphora from the south-west cemetery, Eretria Museum 109
4.14 Burial amphoras from the south-west cemetery 110
6.1 The Laws of Eretria (IG XII 9, 1273/4) 187
6.2 The Laws of Eretria (IG XII 9, 1273/4) 188
7.1 View of mountainous country between Khalkis and Kerinthos 208
7.2 (Horn. Il. 2, 258) 209
7.3
The grave-marker of Khairion (IG XII 9, 296):

. From
Kourouniotis 1899, 144, no. 10. 213
7.4 Grave stele of Pleistias the Lakedaimonian (IG XII 9, 286): 220
. From the Eretria Museum.
8.1 IG XII 9, 241: inscribed face, Eretria Museum 233
8.2 IG XII 9, 241: (a) line 37 showing the positions of the names (1)
and (2) (or, I suggest, ); (b)

close-up photograph of (1); (c) line 77, as it presently appears on the
stone, where the second district name (2) [or (3)] occurs 235
8.3 The Horos Phratrikos, Eretria Museum 238
8.4 The proxeny decree for Aristoteles Kheiloniou (IG XII Suppl. 549),

Eretria Museum 241
8.5 IG XII Suppl. 549 242
8.6 The base with the dedication of the Eretrian bull monument at Olympia 250
8.7 The dedicatory inscription: 251

8.8 The surviving horn and ear of the bronze bull 251
Tables
4.1 Text with notes of the papyrus fragment of an early Elegaic poem 136
8.1 Comparative readings of IG XII 9, Suppl. 549 233
8.2 The known and hypothetical names of the tripartite territorial divisions of

the Corinthia, the Eretrias and Attica 240
8.3 Comparison of the formulae of Attic proxeny decrees and the Eretrian

decree IG XII 9, Suppl. 549 244
8.4 The readings of Peek and Wallace of IG XII, Suppl. 549 257
A1.1 From the Neolithic Age to the sub-Mycenaean period 279
A1.2 From the sub-Mycenaean period to the sub-Geometric period 279
A1.3 Euboian colonisation in the West 280
A1.4 Some significant dates in Eretrian history 280