DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0741
uENERAti HISTORY OF THE GRECIAN STATES.
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The Dorian seems to have been the primitive language of the Pelasgi, who dwelt
in Thessaly, and remained with fewer changes among the inhabitants of that moun-
tainous district, than in other parts of Greece, where it underwent considerable alte-
rations from the influx of strangers and progress of commerce. That it was the ori-
ginal language of the whole country, appears also from this, that the rustic songs, the
ancient hymna in honour of the Gods, and the choruses of the tragic and comic poets,
written in imitation of these hymns, were all in the Doric dialect. It continued to
be spoken with a mixture of the Eolian, to which it had a near affinity, by the inha-
bitants of Peloponnesus, the Sicilians, the Cretans, the Rhodians, and the people of
Epirus, with a few variations in the change and addition of some letters. The Athe-
nians, who belonged to the Ionian tribe, having got the start of their neighbours by
their progress in the arts and cultivation of their language, formed a new dialect, de-
nominated the Attic, while the iEolians, who were expelled from the Peloponnesus
by the Dorians, having established colonies along the western coast of Asia Minor,
diffused their language over that tract of country. The Ionian name, over which
the Athenian had triumphed in Greece, was retained by those who had emigrated to
Asia and the islands. Thus the language of the inhabitants of Greece, the islands
and Asia Minor, was divided into the Doric, the Attic, the jEolic and the Ionic, a dis-
tinction uniformly observed by all the writers of the different countries where settle-
ments had been made.
Before proceeding with a short account of the more particular states of Greece,
whose history embraced actions and events of general importance, it may be necessa-
ry to describe the boundaries and divisions of the country. Ancient Greece wa3
bounded on the east by the Egean sea, now called the Archipelago ; and on the west
by the Ionian sea, or Adriatic gulph. It is divided from Macedonia by a ridge ot
mountains, and from Thrace by the river Strymon. It extends southwards to the pro-
montory of Tasnarus, and is situated nearly in the middle of the northern temperate
zone.—Thessaly, the most northern province, was an extensive and fruitful vale,
completely surrounded by lofty mountains. On the north, Olympus divides it from
Macedonia: contiguous ridges extend to the Ceraunian mountains, and terminate in
the high and stormy promontory of Acroceraunus.' Mount Pindus forms the western
boundary of Thessaly, and Oeta the southern. Between the foot of mount Oeta
and the sea, lies the narrow defile of Thermopylae, the only entrance on the eastern
side to the sourthern provinces of Greece. The river Peneus, after running between
Ossa and Olympus, and winding through a romantic and fertile country, flows into the
delightful vale of Tempe. The tract extending from Epirus and Thessaly, to the,
isthmus of Corinth and the gulphs on each side of it, contains seven provinces
Etolia and Acarnania, defended on one side by mountains almost impassable, and
confined on the other by boisterous seas; Doais, a mountainous and rocky region ;
Locris and Phocis, fertile plains, but of small extent; Bceotia, a rich vale, with
many rivers and lakes, bounded on the north-east by the Opuntian gulph stretching
southward to that of Corinth, and almost surrounded by the mountains Parnassus,
Helicon, Cithteron and Parnes ; Attica is bounded on the north by the two latter of
these mountains, and extends to the promontory of Sunium on the south. It is a rocky
and barren region, producing little corn or pasture, but abounding in fruits, particu-
larly figs and olives.
The Peninsula of Peloponnesus contains seven districts ; the narrow but exten-
sive cost of Achaia ; the fruitful vale of Argos ; the level countries of Elis and
Messenia ; Arcadia, the central district, is a cluster of mountains; Laconia, a
large and fertile territory, watered by the Eurotas, and divided by the lofty ridges of
Taygetus and Xarex, which extend to the most southern promontories of Greece,
Taenarus and Malia ; and the isthmus of Corinth, which is narrow and mountain-
ous.
Such are the divisions of ancient Greece, and the names of the different states who
inhabited the country. The greater part of them are too inconsiderable to deserve
any particular mention, as they either mixed very little in the general affairs of
Greece, or were soon reduced to a secondary rank by a few leading powers. Some,
however, merit our attention, as being among the first that exhibited a regular form
of government, and events of such importance as to be noticed in history.—It was al-
ready stated, that various colonies from Egypt and Phoenicia settled in different parts
of Greece, and instructed the rude inhabitants in the arts peculiar to the countries
from which they came. It does not appear that they mpt with any decided opposi-
tion from the inhabitants in their attempts to establish themselves in the country, but
gradually brought them to submit to their authority and direction. The leaders of
90
f>
The Dorian seems to have been the primitive language of the Pelasgi, who dwelt
in Thessaly, and remained with fewer changes among the inhabitants of that moun-
tainous district, than in other parts of Greece, where it underwent considerable alte-
rations from the influx of strangers and progress of commerce. That it was the ori-
ginal language of the whole country, appears also from this, that the rustic songs, the
ancient hymna in honour of the Gods, and the choruses of the tragic and comic poets,
written in imitation of these hymns, were all in the Doric dialect. It continued to
be spoken with a mixture of the Eolian, to which it had a near affinity, by the inha-
bitants of Peloponnesus, the Sicilians, the Cretans, the Rhodians, and the people of
Epirus, with a few variations in the change and addition of some letters. The Athe-
nians, who belonged to the Ionian tribe, having got the start of their neighbours by
their progress in the arts and cultivation of their language, formed a new dialect, de-
nominated the Attic, while the iEolians, who were expelled from the Peloponnesus
by the Dorians, having established colonies along the western coast of Asia Minor,
diffused their language over that tract of country. The Ionian name, over which
the Athenian had triumphed in Greece, was retained by those who had emigrated to
Asia and the islands. Thus the language of the inhabitants of Greece, the islands
and Asia Minor, was divided into the Doric, the Attic, the jEolic and the Ionic, a dis-
tinction uniformly observed by all the writers of the different countries where settle-
ments had been made.
Before proceeding with a short account of the more particular states of Greece,
whose history embraced actions and events of general importance, it may be necessa-
ry to describe the boundaries and divisions of the country. Ancient Greece wa3
bounded on the east by the Egean sea, now called the Archipelago ; and on the west
by the Ionian sea, or Adriatic gulph. It is divided from Macedonia by a ridge ot
mountains, and from Thrace by the river Strymon. It extends southwards to the pro-
montory of Tasnarus, and is situated nearly in the middle of the northern temperate
zone.—Thessaly, the most northern province, was an extensive and fruitful vale,
completely surrounded by lofty mountains. On the north, Olympus divides it from
Macedonia: contiguous ridges extend to the Ceraunian mountains, and terminate in
the high and stormy promontory of Acroceraunus.' Mount Pindus forms the western
boundary of Thessaly, and Oeta the southern. Between the foot of mount Oeta
and the sea, lies the narrow defile of Thermopylae, the only entrance on the eastern
side to the sourthern provinces of Greece. The river Peneus, after running between
Ossa and Olympus, and winding through a romantic and fertile country, flows into the
delightful vale of Tempe. The tract extending from Epirus and Thessaly, to the,
isthmus of Corinth and the gulphs on each side of it, contains seven provinces
Etolia and Acarnania, defended on one side by mountains almost impassable, and
confined on the other by boisterous seas; Doais, a mountainous and rocky region ;
Locris and Phocis, fertile plains, but of small extent; Bceotia, a rich vale, with
many rivers and lakes, bounded on the north-east by the Opuntian gulph stretching
southward to that of Corinth, and almost surrounded by the mountains Parnassus,
Helicon, Cithteron and Parnes ; Attica is bounded on the north by the two latter of
these mountains, and extends to the promontory of Sunium on the south. It is a rocky
and barren region, producing little corn or pasture, but abounding in fruits, particu-
larly figs and olives.
The Peninsula of Peloponnesus contains seven districts ; the narrow but exten-
sive cost of Achaia ; the fruitful vale of Argos ; the level countries of Elis and
Messenia ; Arcadia, the central district, is a cluster of mountains; Laconia, a
large and fertile territory, watered by the Eurotas, and divided by the lofty ridges of
Taygetus and Xarex, which extend to the most southern promontories of Greece,
Taenarus and Malia ; and the isthmus of Corinth, which is narrow and mountain-
ous.
Such are the divisions of ancient Greece, and the names of the different states who
inhabited the country. The greater part of them are too inconsiderable to deserve
any particular mention, as they either mixed very little in the general affairs of
Greece, or were soon reduced to a secondary rank by a few leading powers. Some,
however, merit our attention, as being among the first that exhibited a regular form
of government, and events of such importance as to be noticed in history.—It was al-
ready stated, that various colonies from Egypt and Phoenicia settled in different parts
of Greece, and instructed the rude inhabitants in the arts peculiar to the countries
from which they came. It does not appear that they mpt with any decided opposi-
tion from the inhabitants in their attempts to establish themselves in the country, but
gradually brought them to submit to their authority and direction. The leaders of
90