C 6. The New Self-Awareness of Local Populations in Greek Influenced Regions from the 4th to the 1st Century BC

In the regions of the Mediterranean, the Greek influence – transported by colonialism and expansion – always reached a local population. Mostly the local populations were displaced from their territory into the hinterland, although they adopted some of the Greek patterns already during the archaic and classical period. These groups are a less-studied field in Classical Archaeology. However, from the 4th century BC the local populations apparently reached a new self-confidence which found different forms of expression: monumental architecture, sculptural features, new forms of pottery as well as coin minting and inscriptions. The Greek influence is obvious but always connected with local peculiarities. In many regions, some kind of “boom” in the archaeological material can be observed. In this session, we will discuss this phenomenon by studying and comparing different regions in the Mediterranean. It will ask through which patterns the new self-confidence was articulated and in which forms local traditions remained. The aim is to discuss if similar developments in different regions was caused by a global reason, or if every region had its own specific historical and economical situation. The comparison of different regions helps to understand this phenomenon in each region as well as in the global context.