It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state, it was named after the Ionian tribe who, in the Archaic Period (600–480 BC), settled mainly the shores and islands of the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the Greek and Anatolian peninsulas, or between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. The sea has an area of some 215,000 square kilometres. In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea and th…
Who were the Ionians?
The Ionians were Greeks who had settled in that part of Asia Minor around the end of the 2nd / beginning of the 1st millennium BC. Ionia was conquered by the Achaemenids during the 6th century and became one of the empire’s satrapies.
Where did the Ionians settle in Asia Minor?
The Ionians settled in the area between the Gulf of Smyrna (known today as Izmir) and the Gulf of Mandalya (also known as the Güllük Gulf). Greek Colonization of western Asia Minor. (Alexikoua / CC BY-SA 3.0 )
What is the Ionian League?
It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state, it was named after the Ionian tribe who, in the Archaic Period (600–480 BC), settled mainly the shores and islands of the Aegean Sea. Ionian states were identified by tradition and by their use of Eastern Greek .
How were Ionia States identified?
Ionian states were identified by tradition and by their use of Eastern Greek . Ionia proper comprised a narrow coastal strip from Phocaea in the north near the mouth of the river Hermus (now the Gediz ), to Miletus in the south near the mouth of the river Maeander, and included the islands of Chios and Samos.
What were the Ionians known for?
Unlike the austere and militaristic Dorians, the Ionians are renowned for their love of philosophy, art, democracy, and pleasure – Ionian traits that were most famously expressed by the Athenians.
What does Ionian mean in history?
Ionian, any member of an important eastern division of the ancient Greek people, who gave their name to a district on the western coast of Anatolia (now Turkey). The Ionian dialect of Greek was closely related to Attic and was spoken in Ionia and on many of the Aegean islands.
Who were the Ionians and where did they live?
Definition. Ionia is the name given during ancient times to the central region of Anatolia's Aegean shore in Asia Minor, present-day Turkey, one of the most important centres of the Greek world.
Where are Ionians located?
TurkeyIonia, ancient region comprising the central sector of the western coast of Anatolia (now in Turkey). It was bounded by the regions of Aeolis on the north and Caria on the south and included the adjacent islands.
Who are the Ionians in ancient Greece?
The Ionians were a Greek people who lived on the west coast of Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). They had emigrated from the Greek mainland before 1000 B.C., probably fleeing from the Dorians and other invading tribes from northwestern Greece.
What happened to the Ionians?
Not able to capture the citadel, the Ionians set the city ablaze and retreated to Ephesus. Persians troops in the area met the Greeks at Ephesus and massacred most of them. The remaining Ionians scattered to the surrounding cities.
What does Ionian mean in Greek?
Definition of Ionian 1 : a member of any of the Greek peoples who settled on the islands of the Aegean Sea and the western shore of Asia Minor toward the end of the second millennium b.c. 2 : a native or inhabitant of Ionia.
Who founded Ionia?
The Grand River, (the largest river in Michigan), and its tributaries, the Maple, Flat, and Looking Glass, are rivers that have seen the development of the land here from the days of the Chippewa, Pottawatomie and Ottawa Indians who lived along their banks to the coming of the first white settler in the 1830s, Samuel ...
What was the capital of Ionia?
8 Capital of Ionia? : IOTA We use the word “iota” to portray something very small, as it is the smallest of all Greek letters.
What are Ionian city states?
These twelve cities (aka Ionian League) were (from south to north) Miletus, Myus, Priene, Ephesus, Colophon, Lebedos, Teos, Erythrae, Clazomenae and Phocaea, together with Samos and Chios.
Where does the name Ionian come from?
The name Ionia is girl's name of Greek origin. Also relating to the sea and the islands, this name is a bit more melodic than its cousins.
Where did the Ionic Greek come from?
As its names suggests, the Ionic Order originated in Ionia, a coastal region of central Anatolia (today Turkey) where a number of ancient Greek settlements were located.
What does word Ionian mean?
Definition of Ionian 1 : a member of any of the Greek peoples who settled on the islands of the Aegean Sea and the western shore of Asia Minor toward the end of the second millennium b.c.
Who were the Ionians and Dorians?
In the 5th century BC, Dorians and Ionians were the two most politically important Greek ethnē, whose ultimate clash resulted in the Peloponnesian War. The degree to which fifth-century Hellenes self-identified as "Ionian" or "Dorian" has itself been disputed.
Are Athenians Ionians?
The Athenians, in the peninsula of Attica, were the only Ionians on the Greek mainland. The Greeks of the Aegean islands, however, were almost entirely Ionian, the main exception being the Aeolians of Lesbos and the Dorians of Rhodes and the islands among the Dorian Hexapolis.
How would you describe the era of the Ionians in philosophy?
The Ionian school of Pre-Socratic philosophy was centred in Miletus, Ionia in the 6th century BC. Miletus and its environment was a thriving mercantile melting pot of current ideas of the time. The Ionian School included such thinkers as Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heraclitus, Anaxagoras, and Archelaus.
What are the villages in the Ionians?
Villages dot the mountainous countryside, with larger settlements as ports and/or marketing and administrative centers. Homes and shops cluster around one or more main village squares or plateia. Numerous earthquakes plague the Ionians; in some areas, over 90 percent of the homes and other buildings have been destroyed by quakes in this century. Private homes are generally surrounded by a wall; the yards often overflow with flowers and herbs. In some rural areas, animals such as goats, sheep, chickens, and donkeys are kept in Structures attached to the home.
What are the influences of the Ionian Islands?
Arts. Traditional music and dance among Ionians reflect the Italian heritage through couples' dances and unusual rhythms; Western influence in modern music and dance is readily apparent in local discotheques. Artisans flourished in the Ionian Islands during the Venetian and British periods, and the architecture in urban areas is visibly Italianate. Clothing has shown European influence among the upper classes since the 1600s.
What are the Ionians' specializations?
Medicine. The Ionians have long emphasized education, and students commonly specialize in law or medicine. Access to medical care is facilitated by a national program that installs doctors in small villages throughout the country. An emphasis among the elderly on medical care involving such practices as leeching, cupping, and bleeding is fading.
What is the most common social unit among Ionians today?
Kinship, Marriage, and Domestic Unit. The nuclear family is the most common social unit among Ionians today, although vertically extended families composed of an elderly couple and one child with his/her family are also found. Horizontal extended or joint families of married brothers with spouses and children are the ideal following the death of both parents, but in reality they are rare. In the twentieth century, residence has changed from a pattern predominated by patrilocality to mixed patrilocal and matrilocal households or neighborhoods, with some neolocality as well. The modern inclusion of a home, apartment, or addition to a home in daughters' dowries has led to the increase in matrilocality, as families build on their own or adjacent properties to provide this element of their daughters' inheritances. Bilateral kindreds are seen at personal and village celebrations. One of the most obvious facets of the nuclear family today is the absence of one or more principal members through migration; some villages have a high percentage of elderly couples who have no children in the village. The kin terminology is Eskimo, like that in the United States; terms in some areas reflect Italian influence. In the past, marriages were arranged by parents; the practice is still common today. An intermediary's advice is often sought; such an individual is expected to have full knowledge of available unmarried individuals, including familial background, familial and personal reputation, and any potential flaws in character. Success at migration is an Important characteristic contributing to the relative desirability of a potential spouse. It is increasingly common for individuals to be involved in love matches and to make their own marriage arrangements. Such romances often begin in Athens or elsewhere outside the islands. As a result, an earlier pattern of Regional endogamy is changing. Divorce is still rare but has become more common with the introduction of legal civil marriages and divorces in 1980. Divorce is frowned upon, however, and divorced women are unlikely to remarry. Women who have been partners in broken engagements experience similar difficulty in finding a husband. These situations increase the likelihood of a woman's migrating to a city where her past experiences are unknown.
What was the Ionian League?
The Ionian League ( ancient Greek: Ἴωνες, Íōnes; κοινὸν Ἰώνων, koinón Iōnōn; or κοινὴ σύνοδος Ἰώνων, koinē sýnodos Iōnōn; Latin: commune consilium ), also called the Panionic League, was a confederation formed at the end of the Meliac War in the mid-7th century BC comprising twelve Ionian Greek city-states (a dodecapolis, of which there were many others).
What city was invited to diminish Aeolis and increase Ionia by joining the League of Ionia?
After 650 BC, Smyrna , an originally Aeolic city bordering the Ioanians, was invited to diminish Aeolis and increase Ionia by joining the league, which it did.
What were the 12 ancient Greek cities?
Ancient Greek Colonization: the Ioanians in green. The twelve ancient city-states were listed by Herodotus as: Miletus, Myus, and Priene — all located in Caria (a region in Asia Minor) and speaking the same dialect; Ephesus, Colophon, Lebedus, Teos, Clazomenae and Phocaea — all located in Lydia and-or the region known today as Ionia ...
Where are Ephesus and Colophon located?
Ephesus, Colophon, Lebedus, Teos, Clazomenae and Phocaea — all located in Lydia and-or the region known today as Ionia (both also in Asia Minor, Lydia extending inland much farther relative to Ionia), speaking another dialect; Chios (island) and Erythrae (Asia Minor) — with a common dialect; and. Samos (island) — with its own dialect.
Where was the Meliac War?
Their last stronghold was the fortified settlement of Melia at the smaller peak of Dilek Daglari on the north slopes of Mycale, where the seat of their worship of Poseidon Heliconius was located. The fort was constructed in the early 7th century BC.
About the architecture of Ioanian islands
The beautiful architectural marvels, imposing buildings, amazing churches, and monasteries, as well as traditional settlements that we see today in the Ionian, have played a major role in solving the cultural puzzle of these Greek islands.
Architecture in Ionian islands
Information about architecture in some of the islands of the Ionian islands:
What was the Ionian revolt?
About 2500 years ago, the Persian Empire was expanding through Asia and into Asia Minor (the area between the Black and Mediterranean Seas) and taking control of the eastern world. A Persian ruler was installed over every city-state that they conquered.
Where did the Ionian fleet sail to?
The Ionian fleet, bolstered by Athenian and Eretrian ships, sailed to Ephesus in BC 498. The ships were moored at the port of Coressus and the soldiers followed the river Cayster to Sardis. The Allied Greek force marched into the city where they met little resistance.
Why did the Persian Empire crumble?
After the city-state fell, the revolts in the Persian Empire crumbled, due to a lack of leadership. The revolt had several lasting effects. The Ionian enlightenment ended. Darius I's anger for Athens grew, because of the aid they provided to the Ionians, and gave him the incentive to invade Greece.
Who encouraged the Ionians to remove their leaders?
Aristagoras encouraged the Ionians to remove their leaders. In response, many cities in the area rebelled and ousted their Persian rulers. Knowing that it would not be long until Darius retaliated, Aristagoras traveled to Sparta and appealed to King Cleomenes for aid.
Who was the emperor of Persia in BC 550?
About BC 550, Cyrus I , emperor of Persia, conquered the territory of Ionia (the west coast of Modern Turkey). For all of their advances in science and mathematics, ...
Who was the leader of the Persians who defeated the Cyprians?
Despite the great setback of losing so many men, Aristagoras continued his fight against Persia. He encouraged more revolts in Western Asia Minor, Thrace and Cyprus. Aristagoras sent part of his fleet to aid the Cyprians, but the Persians thoroughly defeated the Cyprian army.
Who was the oldest Ionian settlement?
Miletus was regarded as the oldest of the Ionian settlements, though this claim was disputed by Ephesus. Unlike its near neighbors, Ephesus and Smyrna, Miletus was protected from landward assaults by a mountain range and developed early as a sea power.
What is the name of the port in the Delian League?
The Port of Miletus. Miletus, though one of the most famous ports of antiquity is now 'marooned in an alluvial delta'. By the middle of the 5th century, it had recovered from Xerxes' attack and was a contributing member of the Delian League. The 5th-century city was designed by the architect Hippodamas, a native of Miletus, ...
Who conquered Miletus?
Alexander the Great conquered Miletus in 334 B.C.; then in 129, Miletus became part of the Roman province of Asia. In the 3rd Century A.D., Goths attacked Miletus, but the city continued, waging an ongoing fight against the silting of its harbor.
Why did the Ionians move further inland?
Ionian exploration of overseas land was not only spurred on by trade ambitions but was also undertaken out of necessity. As the Ionian cities expanded , more land was needed to support the growing population . Naturally, the Ionians moved further inland, though this brought them into conflict with the powerful kingdom of Lydia .
Where were the first 10 Ionian cities located?
The first 10 cities were located on the mainland, while the other two were on islands. The Ionian cities were independent of each other. Nevertheless, recognizing their shared cultural heritage , the Ionians established the Panionium, which was a sanctuary dedicated to Poseidon Helikonios, as a place where they could meet.
What was the Ionian trade hub?
During the 6th century BC, Miletus and Phocaea were setting up colonies along the coast of the Black Sea, as well as the Mediterranean coast of France and Spain. Thanks to trade, the Ionian cities prospered.
How many cities did the Ionians have?
By the 8th century BC, however, the Ionians had settled along the entire coastline, and organized themselves into 12 major cities – Phocaea, Erythrae, Clazomenae, Teos, Lebedus, Colophon, Ephesus, Priene, Myus, Miletus, Chios, and Samos.
What were the contributions of the Ionians?
The Ionians made some important contributions to Greek civilization , one of which being early Greek philosophy and science . The Ionian city of Miletus is regarded to be the birth place of Western philosophy, as it was here that the first philosopher, Thales of Miletus, is recorded to have lived.
Why did Herodotus want a revolt to break out in Ionia?
Herodotus also reports that the former tyrant wanted a revolt to break out in Ionia because he was tired of being held as a captive (albeit an honored one) in Susa, the Persian capital. Histiaeus was hoping that when a revolt was to break out in Ionia, in particular his home city of Miletus, he would be sent back there.
How long did the Ionian revolt last?
Thus, the Ionian Revolt may be considered to be the prelude to the Graeco-Persian Wars, which would last until the middle of the 5th century BC.
Orientation
- Identification and Location. The Ionian Islands lie off the western coast of Greece in the Ionian Sea, a northern branch of the Mediterranean. The group of islands has been referred to variously as the Septinsular Republic, the Eftanissa or Eptanissa, or the Seven Islands, reflecting the number of large islands in the group. Smaller inhabited islets bring the total number of islands to twenty …
History and Cultural Relations
- Archaeological evidence indicates habitation of Corfu as early as 70,000 b.c. Historical mention of the islands begins with Homer; Mycenean colonization of the region took place in the thirteenth century b.c. In the late eighth century b.c., the Corinthians colonized Corfu. The Romans made Corfu a Roman protectorate in 229 b.c., the first Roman possession in Greece. Within forty years…
Settlements
- Villages dot the mountainous countryside, with larger settlements as ports and/or marketing and administrative centers. Homes and shops cluster around one or more main village squares or plateia. Numerous earthquakes plague the Ionians; in some areas, over 90 percent of the homes and other buildings have been destroyed by quakes in this century. Pr...
Economy
- Subsistence and Commercial Activities; Industrial Arts. In the early 1900s, over 56 percent of the Ionian population was regularly engaged in full-time agriculture; the figure now is estimated at between 10 and 15 percent. Income is likely to be supplemented by migrant remittances and/or short-term employment in construction or seasonal agricultural labor. Agricultural production fo…
Kinship, Marriage, and Family
- Kinship, Marriage, and Domestic Unit. The nuclear family is the most common social unit among Ionians today, although vertically extended families composed of an elderly couple and one child with his/her family are also found. Horizontal extended or joint families of married brothers with spouses and children are the ideal following the death of both parents, but in reality they are rare…
Sociopolitical Organization
- Social Organization. Sex roles are clearly differentiated among Ionians. Women are associated with the private sphere of the home; men circulate in the public arena. Male presentation of self involves a stance of dominance over women and a love of honor or philotimo, which includes a willingness to defend familial reputation. Sexual prowess and ability to provide economically for …
Religion and Expressive Culture
- Religious Beliefs and Practices. Despite centuries of Catholic rulers, Eastern Orthodoxy remains the primary faith; a number of Catholic churches are found in the urban areas. Also reflecting the Italian influence is the emphasis on processions associated with local saints. Most notable are the celebrations for Saint Spiros on Corfu and Saint Gerasimos on Cephalonia. Personal attach…
Bibliography
- Ansted, D. T. (1863). The Ionian Islands in the Year 1863.London: W. H. Allen. Costa, Janeen Arnold (1988). "The History of Migration and Political Economy in Rural Greece: A Case Study." Journal of Modern Greek Studies6:159-185. Costa, Janeen Arnold (1988). "Systems Integration and Attitudes toward Greek Rural Life: A Case Study." Anthropological Quarterly61:73-90. Jervis, …