Greek and Phoenician Colonisation (ca. 800–550 BCE)

Between 800 and 550 BCE, the Greek and Phoenician civilisations engaged in widespread colonisation across the Mediterranean and beyond, driven by economic, political, and demographic factors. This period of expansion reshaped the ancient world, establishing trade networks, spreading cultures, and laying the groundwork for future empires.

The Phoenicians, originating from the city-states of the Levant (modern-day Lebanon), were expert sailors and traders. Their colonisation was motivated by the search for resources, trade opportunities, and safe harbours.

They founded colonies along the coasts of North Africa, such as Carthage (founded around 814 BCE), as well as in Sicily, Sardinia, and the Iberian Peninsula. Phoenician colonies served as trade hubs and centres for disseminating their advanced shipbuilding, alphabetic writing, and goods like glass and purple dye.

The Greeks began colonising slightly later, driven by overpopulation, political unrest, and the search for arable land. Greek colonies, or apoikiai, were often established by city-states (poleis) to relieve internal pressures and secure access to resources.

These colonies, while independent, maintained cultural and religious ties with their mother cities. Notable examples include Syracuse in Sicily, Massalia (modern Marseille) in France, and Byzantion (later Constantinople).

Although Greek and Phoenician colonisation efforts sometimes led to competition, they also facilitated cultural exchanges. For instance, the Greeks adopted elements of Phoenician writing, leading to the development of the Greek alphabet.

By 550 BCE, both civilisations had established a dense network of settlements that connected the Mediterranean world, influencing local cultures and fostering an interconnected economic system.

These colonies became vital to the spread of art, technology, and political ideas that shaped Western civilisation.

The article first appeared in the Ancient History Vault.

READ MORE: Mentor of Rhodes, a Greek mercenary general in ancient Egypt.