Introduction. By 750 BC., Greek polises were well established throughout the Greek homeland and South Aegean Sea. However, there was still little of what we associate with the ancient Greeks in place, in particular democracy. Rather, while some Greeks were still under the rule of kings, most lived under nobles in a type of rule known as aristocracy (literally rule of the best). Over the next 250 years, all this would change as democracy, that most unique of all Greek political institutions, would evolve. Interestingly enough, the whole process started with famine and poverty.
The Age of Colonization (c.750-550 B.C.). Greece was not a rich land capable of supporting a large population. Yet the revival of stable conditions after 800 B.C. brought population growth. This, in turn, brought problems, since family lands had to be split up among the surviving sons. These sons also had families to support, but on less land than their fathers had. Even minor crop failures could be disastrous, and the victims of those crop failures needed relief. The only people to turn to were rich nobles who loaned the poor farmers the means to get by until the next harvest. Of course, there was interest on the loan, generally equal to one-sixth of the peasants' crops. Failure to pay back the loan and interest in time involved a heavy price: loss of the family lands, and in case the lands had already been lost, the personal freedom of the farmer and his family. Unfortunately, bad harvests will often run in cycles of several years at a time. As a result, Greece in the eighth century B.C. was full of very poor peasants, many of whom had lost their lands or were in debt slavery.
Some Greeks turned to trade or manufacturing goods. But many were left homeless and in chains. Such an unstable situation created dangers for the city-state and especially the nobles who controlled it and most of the land. Therefore, many city-states started looking for new lands on which to settle their surplus populations. The Age of Colonization was born.
The Greeks generally looked for two qualities in a site for a colony. First of all, it had to have rich agricultural land to support the colonists, and hopefully provide surplus for people back home. Secondly, it should be in a good location for trade on the sea. As a result, the Greeks colonized two main areas: the coasts of the Black Sea to the north-east, and Sicily and Southern Italy to the west. However, Greek colonies dotted the whole map of the Aegean and Mediterrnean Seas, ranging from Thrace in the North Aegean down to Egypt and Cyrene in North Africa and all the way to Spain and Southern France in the West Mediterranean.
Merchant Report on Mesambria, located in Thrace.
A Merchant named Myron reports that this region has Plentiful Supplies of: Grain; Good
Supplies of: Timber, Silver, and Metals; Limited Supplies of: Slaves;
The trade potential with the natives is bad. They are hostile toward colonies.
Economics - Resources Imported
You had 4 colonies and 2 trading posts last round.
You imported the following resources:
The Hoplite Reform
You now have the option to adopt Hoplites. Doing so will dramatically increase the strength of your army by arming the newly emerging Middle Class with heavy bronze armor and long spears.
However, this will give the Middle Class a sizeable amount of military power in your home polis and may place the current government in considerable peril.
Use Hoplites? Select Yes or No.
