Stefanos Apostolou

Pnyx is a digital-only, double-blind peer-reviewed, free-for-all, Open Access journal for Classical Studies, Archaeology, and their Receptions that publishes research papers in English and offers full editorial services to authors. We understand that every term used in the previous sentence invites debate and in what follows we address each one separately. Before we proceed, we must say that we are proud of our Advisory Board, which spans three continents and a dozen countries, whose numbers are tilted in favour of female, non-Anglophone members. It is indicative of our vision of Classical Studies and the slightly different way we do things. We thank them for their support, insight, and confidence, and we look forward to the wonderful journey ahead.

The Aeolian phyletic affiliation of Greek poleis between the river Hermus and Pitane emerges in full already by the middle of the 5th century BCE (cf. Hdt 1.151). In the late classical period, foundation myths other than the tale of mass migration were circulating in scholarly circles and referred to an earlier putative time before the coming of the Greeks. Myths of Amazons as founders of Aeolian poleis were restricted geographically across the narrow coastal strip defined by Herodotus as the union of the twelve Aeolian poleis, the core of Aeolian identity. It was only in the late Hellenistic period that these scholarly discourses acquired an emic character, traceable in the numismatic and epigraphical record of Cyme alone.

This paper aims to investigate the importance of phyletic identity in the Hellenistic period, when new opportunities and challenges raised in Asia Minor, and to explore local responses to supra-polis identities. The consolidation of Troy to the north-west of the peninsula gave to the Troad  a new focal point. As a result, the phyletic affiliation of the poleis on the southern Troad became negotiable. Poleis previously acknowledged as Aeolian became members of the Koinon of Athena Ilias around Troy and Alexandria Troas at the end of the 4th century. Important settlements sought to exploit new opportunities and reap the benefits of both identities (e.g. Assos). Others rejected an alternate affiliation (such as Skepsis) or refrained altogether from ascribing to any collective identity (such as Adramyttion). In Cyme, the Amazon foundation myth supported both conflict and rapprochement, first against nearby settlements in the 3rd century, afterwards to establish common ideological ground with a powerful authority in the vicinity, the Attalids. At the same time, in Elaea, where Attalid influence was stronger, myths of Athenian foundation were advocated. Arguably, local variations form a diverse conceptual hard surface onto which political authorities attempted to steer and exploit new opportunities.

This paper presents the ominous dynamics between ancient history and modern politics in Greece and explores the processes generated by public discourse on antiquity and the role of the Hellenic Republic as a historical agent. Ancient history defines, but also divides modern Greek society. A great part of the populace believe that they are the rightful heirs of ancient Greece, direct descendants of the glorious forefathers and they should follow on the footpath of the great civilisation that created 'democracy'. Hence, the raison d'être of the Hellenic Republic is to defend the values and legacy of antiquity against modernism and external influences; to defend what is rightfully ours: space, both actual and historical. In a nutshell, modern Greeks find themselves living in a nationalist bubble of the utmost importance for them, in a world of their own that very few outsiders understand or care about. In itself, that creates a huge cultural gap which current political discourse and (non-)understanding of the past can only expand further.

Among others, history can teach by example and legitimise claims. However, what happens when the rhetoric of (championing) historical legacy is repeatedly promoted by political parties and is unleashed in the general population via numerous stunts and dramatised events in current mainstream political discourse? From the labelling of a Roman tomb in Amphipolis as the tomb of Alexander the Great to the recent, yet preliminary, agreement between Athens and Skopje concerning the name of (North) Macedonia we will highlight some indicative examples of how an entire society is kept hostage of its alleged past. From the 'politically correct' conservative party to the far right, the persistent referral to the classical past has far-reaching effects to society. As this paper will discuss, the references to the classical Greek past are constantly at the forefront of the political discourse in the Hellenic Republic and create a socially acceptable version of a historical continuum. Anyone opposing this reality does not partake in the ethnic identity and is confronted as an outcast. And vice versa, those who play well this 'game of pasts' can have a very successful career in Greek politics.

As a rule, the diffusion of collective identity and memory comes with an agency. Communities and population groups do not decide collectively on their identity, nor do they unanimously choose which part of their traditions better support and shape their sense of belonging and identification. Usually, the elites are in a position to formulate, transform, and even create, myths and traditions advocating specific perceptions of community and society. On a regional level and beyond, powerful players attempted to interact with local communities in order to impose their versions of local and wider identities. Reversely, within individual communities, tendencies of affiliation to more powerful political authorities developed, not always with success. Modern scholars of memory and identity often come across a wide range of possible reactions to the dissemination of specific messages and standard sets of indicia of co-belonging. A typology of reactions to super-imposed collective identities, however, is a near-impossible task. Nonetheless, a study of relevant reactions at the local and the regional level can shed some light on aspects of the use of memory as a political instrument. Those aspects can be determined by examining how Greek communities used to function and adapt to a changing actual and conceptual environment. Our panel brings together scholars researching different themes, regions, periods, and subjects. A wide range of cases from many different locales – the Peloponnese, north-western Greece, Athens, Italy, and Asia Minor – will be discussed, tackling issues of memory, identity, and interstate relations. Our interdisciplinary panel will offer fresh insight into various processes of identity formation, in and beyond the polis. All in all, we will investigate the range of potential strategies and pathways that different Greek communities opted for when conversing with powerful local or regional authorities.

Collective identities are based on narrative constructs that social groups communicate to internal and external audiences. These constructs gradually become ‘traditions’, through performance or ritualisation, and are perpetuated by social mechanisms. This collection of papers examines the development of different forms of communicating stories and perceptions of identity in the Ancient Greek world. Local histories, imbued to the very core of the community, became a distinct genre after the late Classical period and an essential aspect of communal perceptions of the past. Tales of phyletic descent were used as separators between different population groups and made their mark on communities’ pasts. On several occasions, however, narratives of the past were consciously modified as an answer to contemporary social and political needs. Different perceptions of geographical space were a direct outcome of political developments and changing worldviews, thus adding a temporal aspect to geography and allowing communities to subscribe to multiple identities. The panel examines the ways communities, and individuals re-evaluated relations, actual and conceptual space, and their past in Classical Antiquity. Moreover, it explores the issue of agency to establish by whom, how, and to what purpose the past was negotiated continuously in the Greek world.

At Isegoria Publishing, we support the work of colleagues worldwide, especially those from outside mainstream academic backgrounds and in the Global South, irrespective of their publisher. Thus, even if you have not published your work with Isegoria Publishing (although you should genuinly try!), you can still find a place to tell your story and reach an expanded audience. Short interviews will feature in our Author Profiles, with additional audio-visual content in our social media outlets. Our first author is Obert Bernardo Mlambo, Associate Professor of Classics (Zimbabwe).