Summary:
Foundation myths in ancient societies were dynamic and flexible and through them the city-states attempted to shape their identity and manage the political challenges of their time. Initially, such myths were mostly encountered in the colonies, where the need to invent a common past was more pressing. Later on, however, these myths were also used by the city-states of mainland Greece in order to justify their expansion, their claim for more territories or the integration of new population. In addition, through the discovery of mythical links between cities, stronger alliances were built.
This study focuses upon the regions of Laconia, Messinia and Argolis and examines the way the Dorian cities exploited their mythical past. It is divided into five chapters based on the location of the cities under examination, with the exception of Chapter 1. Chapter 1 deals with the foundation myth of the Dorians and their origin, with the aim to determine the population groups that were believed to have formed this tribe. Chapter 2 examines the myths regarding the foundation of Sparta and the way Spartans made use of their mythical past in order to establish their hegemonic policy. Chapter 3 discusses the foundation myths of the rest of the cities of Laconia, which became independent after the arrival of the Romans in the region, while Chapter 4 deals with the foundation myths of the city of Messene and the rest of the cities of Messinia. Finally, Chapter 5 deals with the myths referring to the foundation of Argos and the other cities of Argolis. The concluding chapter offers some general observations emerging from the overall examination of the aforementioned foundation myths.
Keywords:
foundation myths, messinia, argolis, laconia
