Preservation of American Hellenic History
Preservation of American Hellenic History
by Jason C. Mavrovitis
Not until the late eighth century B.C. were colonies established along the coast of the Black Sea. These provided the exploding populations of the city-states of ancient Greece with grain (corn, i.e., barleycorn), oak lumber, metals, slaves, fish, hides and furs. Early Greek settlers mixed their blood with the indigenous Thracians and Skythians, yet retained their Greek language and their identity as Hellenes.
In the late sixth century B.C. the army of Persia's King Darius crossed the Bosphorus on pontoon bridges, marched north passing Apollonia Pontika, bridged the Danube (Istros) and entered the land of the Skythians(17) in a futile attempt to conquer them.(18) He did subjugate the Thracians on the western shores of the Black Sea thus securing the region north of the great Greek city-states before he invaded them. Darius' campaign of conquest ended in defeat in 490 B.C. on the plain of Marathon, northeast of Athens.
In 342 B.C. Philip II of Macedonia, father of Alexander the Great, led forces north, through Thrace and over the Balkan (Haemus) mountain range to the shore of the Danube (Istros) to subjugate barbarian tribes. He settled military colonies and established trade routes in Thrace, making alliances with two of the important coastal emporia of the Black Sea: Varna (Odessus) and Sozopolis (Apollonia Pontika).(19)
Roman armies began their conquest of the peninsula in the third century and dominated the region by the middle of the first century, B.C. After Roman armies under Marcus Lucullus pillaged the area in 71 B.C., the Legions built extensive road systems including one to Apollonia Pontika, which served as a minor port. According to Pliny the Elder,(20) the Romans shipped Apollonia Pontika's great bronze statue of Apollo to Rome where it adorned the Capitoline.(21)
Anchialos (Pomorie), a colony founded by Apollonia Pontika on the northern coast of what is now the Bay of Burgas, was located in a fertile region and protected northern access to the bay. The town harvested salt from the sea and featured hot mineral springs that attracted many who believed in the water's curative powers.(22)
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