Greek colonies
Ancient overseas outposts
Greek colonies were settlements established by ancient Greek city-states throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, roughly from the 8th to 6th centuries BCE.
Cities like Corinth and Miletus founded colonies to relieve population pressure, expand trade, and secure resources.
These settlements—including Syracuse, Marseille, and Byzantium—spread Greek language, culture, and political institutions far beyond the Greek mainland.
The Greek colonies of southern Italy were so numerous the Romans called the region Magna Graecia.
- ByzantiumEastern Roman civilization
- Black SeaLandlocked sea near Caucasus
- Aegean SeaEastern Mediterranean basin
- polisGreek sovereign urban center
- city stateAutonomous urban territory
Greek alphabet · founding myths · Crimea · Sicily · trade routes · agora · oligarchy · ancient mariners · tyranny · Ionia · democracy · wine production · temples · temple ruins · amphora · Phoenicians · Southern Italy · shores
Greek coloniesGreek city-states
Ancient independent urban communities
Greek coloniesindigenous populations
Original regional inhabitants
native peoples · Iberians · Thracians · Scythians · Libyans