Pontic Greek - a representative of the Greek ethnic group, belonging to which people, long before the onset of the New Era, mastered the Black Sea coast (in Greek - Pontus). Initially, their compact settlement was on the northern coast of Turkey, and only then they settled along the entire Black Sea coast.
Pontic Greeks - who are they?
Pont is the historical name of a place in Asia Minor. Geographically, it extends from the border of Azerbaijan with Turkey, crosses the entire Turkish coast and ends at the line of the cities of Nikopol - Akdagma-Deni. How did the Greek settlers end up so far from the sunny islands of their homeland?
Ancient Greeks have established themselves as excellent traders and colonizers. Their home country was distinguished by poor soil and mountainous terrain. This created acceptable conditions for animal husbandry, but the farmers had a hard time - the meager mountainous soils brought small crops, which were barely enough to feed their own families. As zealous owners, the Greeks did not develop deliberately unprofitable agriculture, but discovered the prospects for sea we alth and trade routes.
Trade routes
The Pontic Greek is a sailor and merchant. He was a welcome guest on all shores of the ecumene. The Greeks actively invested in the development of their own fleet, laid new routes for trade with distant tribes. It was in the places of warehousing of goods that small settlements of seafarers and merchants arose, who on the spot were engaged in trade with the native peoples and resold exotic goods at exorbitant prices in the cities of Greece, Western Asia and the Middle East.
First Cities
The oldest known settlement of the Pontic Greeks was discovered on the coast of Asia Minor, in the town of Miletus. A few decades later, in the VIII-IX centuries BC. e. magnificent Sinop arose, which is now the pearl of the Turkish Black Sea coast. Then, like mushrooms after the rain, the cities of Amissos, Kotior, Kerasund and many others sprang up. It was not in vain that the ancient Herodotus said that the Pontic Greeks settled around the Black Sea, like frogs along the edges of a puddle. This metaphor accurately reflects the aims and methods of Greek settlement.
Despite the rather intrusive colonization, there were no major skirmishes with the local tribes. The Pontic Greek knew how to talk to the warlike natives not with the help of force, but with the help of hard cash. Such a policy negated the claims of the leaders of the local peoples - if anyone was indignant, the settlers preferred to pay off rather than fight. The Pontic Greeks established an excellent exchange of goods - they brought raw materials and crops to their homeland, and sent olive oil, wine, pottery and handicrafts to distant cities,jewelry.
Religion and traditions of Pontus
How did an ordinary representative of the ancient people, the Pontic Greek, justify his living away from his homeland? The religion of these settlers basically copied the beliefs of their distant home country. They worshiped all the supreme gods of Olympus, but they also had their favorites.
Until now, on the coast of Asia Minor there are remains of the temples of Poseidon and Hermes - the patrons of the sea and trade. The Pontic Greeks also had their own traditions. For example, many of them preferred to explain their origin with the myths of Jason and the Argonauts. Perhaps the golden fleece itself in this famous legend symbolized the we alth of the Black Sea region, besides, sheepskin (fleece) is one of the main items of trade.
Culture and Art
The Pontic Greek zealously preserved his identity and proclaimed himself a Hellene, a representative of civilization, as opposed to the barbarians - the surrounding tribes, who at that time were at the stage of decomposition of the tribal system. The population of the colonies retained its identity and gave the world unique people who became famous in various fields of activity. Philosopher Diogenes, politicians Diphilus, Heracleides, Stravon. Already in the first millennium, the names of Vissarion and others appeared in theology, and the Modern Age introduced such names as Karatzasov, Ipsilantov, Muruzisov and others.
In the context of historical eras
During the period of Alexander the Great, Greek influence spread to the south of Turkey - the era of Hellenization began. During the reign of the Mithridatesthis influence was still very strong - their language flourished in Asia Minor, monuments of architecture and art were created.
During the heyday of the Roman Empire, a Pontic Greek becomes a Christian. Thanks to the apostles Paul and Peter, the Eastern representatives of this people were among the first to create early Christian communities and recognize Jesus Christ as their Savior. Communities grew into monasteries, where adherents of the new faith found refuge.
Greeks or Romans?
During Byzantium, the Pontic Greeks created their own province. At the behest of Justinian, Trebizond (Trabzon) became its capital. It was then that the second self-name of the Pontic Greeks appeared - the Romans, which means "subjects of Rome" - this is how Byzantium was sometimes called in the East.
Relations "metropolis-province" connected Pontus and Constantinople until 1204, when the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire fell under the onslaught of the Franks. After that, the Nicaean state appears on the map, which later enters the empire of Trebizond. During its two hundred years of existence, this empire was constantly at war with the surrounding tribes of non-Christian faith. The Turks, who in 1461 conquered and plundered Trebizond, especially persistently attacked the state of the Romans.
Muslim rule
The capture of Trebizond meant the decline of Christianity and the beginning of the spread of Islam in the ancient land of the Pontic Greeks. Massacre, violence, pogroms and violent Islamization under pain of deprivation of life - that's what Turkish brought to the Greeks.dominion. The survivors left the cities, pastures and churches and retreated high into the mountains, fearing religious persecution. But in the future, the Turkish authorities made some concessions and allowed the Greeks to develop certain types of production - metallurgy and ceramics, for example.
For many centuries, the Pontic Hellenes remained one of the most isolated peoples of the Turkish Empire. They practically did not intersect with other Christians, although they lived next to the Armenians and Kurds. Modest production, handicrafts and meager harvests collected from mountainous, infertile lands did not attract the attention of greedy military leaders and supreme Turkish officials. Perhaps that is why the Greeks managed to preserve their language and culture, expand their area of residence in the regions of the Caucasus and Crimea and join the world community as an autonomous culture.
This state of affairs continued until 1922, when the Greeks were expelled from the lands that they considered native for many years.
Exile
For many years the Turkish authorities do not recognize the genocide and persecution of Armenians. But few people know that at the beginning of the 20th century, other peoples of Turkey, including the Pontic Greeks, were also persecuted. The genocide of this ethnic group was the reason for the complete eradication of the Greeks from their native lands and their forcible expulsion from the territory of Turkey. More than 350 thousand people were burned in churches and temples, the survivors fled, leaving behind all their property. May 19 became mournfulday of this people. As a result, the Pontic Greeks settled in the territories of other states. They were forced to leave their homeland.
Pontic Greeks in Russia settled in the territory of the Kuban and the North Caucasus. Most of them speak Russian, but they have preserved some of the ancient traditions of their people. But most of the Pontic Greeks returned to their native Greek shores.
So, 2.5 millennia after the first settlers left the rocky shores of Greece, they had to return to their native lands. Their odyssey ended with the return to their homeland. Let's wish them happiness.
