New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-01-24
ANCIENT GREEK COLONIES.

ANCIENT GREEK COLONIES.
CAUSES OF THE WIDE EXPANSION AND GROWTH
OF GREEK COLONiES-THEIR FREEDOM AND
PROSPERITY-LIGHT THROWN ON THEIR GUS
TOMS BY RECENT OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OF THEIR ULTIMATE DECLINE.
Prof. Henry NJ. Baird delivered last night,
in the chapel of the NewYork University the seventh OF
the University Course Of Lectures on "The Colonial
system the Ancient Creeks. The chapel as on occa-
sion OF the previous lectures, filed with an nteli
gent and appreciative audience.
Prof. Baird began by saying that Greece during
the most lourishing period Of her history, occupied
position not very unlike that of Great Britain at the
present moment The mother country found herself far
surpassed in population by her numerous colonies and
the Greek language spoken by millions VINO had
never set their eyes upon the contracted peninsula
where that language first took form and developed Its
marvellous compass and hexibity The old ana lesser
Greece was stll loved and revered but the colonies,
conscious Of growing power and with still greater hopes
for the future could scarcely avoid deprecatng the
small republics from which they sprang. II was 10 the
colonial system developed In this greater Greece--a
Greece larger even that the magma GrGca" in Italy
and scilythat attention was now to be drawn Colo
Dization commenced in Greece at far earlier period
than we should have expected but 1t must be remem
bered that the point reached when, with the
unskifu agriculture OF the ancients it was Impossible
FOR gwen territory TO sustain greater population,
The lecturer then cOnrasted the colonial system Of
the Greeks with those of the Romans and Phcnicans,
and found in the difference great reason OF the
greater influence OF the former The PhGnecian colo
MES in general mere trading stations and the in
terests OF the mother city alone consulted Besides
the Phenecians were without the necessary 'he
foundation Of great states. They invented nothing,
although their commerce made them, almost without
their consent the dsseminator Of arts and letters The
Roman colonies were in the main military establish
ments intended to assure the conQuests OF the ee0ns
often they mere garrsOns to which portion Of
the lands Of the natives assigned. They lacked
that independence which essential the prosperity OF
colony. The relation Of the Roman colony 10 the city
has been compared TO that Of to his father accord
ing 10 Roman law. A father had complete authority
over even after they grew up and could at
viii apv punishment even that of death. So, too, the
Roman colony was in a condition of perpetual minor',
On the other hand, the Greek colony yc,,. and
vigorous branch cut off from the par emf vine and planted
IN virgin oii that thee Ii might strike root and mature
into &h independents and thrifty vine like the original
stock as the nature OF the case would allow c0ndOn
q cEronc nferionty was repusl7e and wholly loIegn
into the very texture OF the mental constitution OF the
Greek. A citizen OF free commonwealth, he was MIN
self the unit the sarngp0int IN every computation.
His race gave him his name and was everything; his
country mere accident. III was HeHas WheleEer
there were HeleneG Greeks 80 Heilas eNtendeu ts
boundaries wherever Greek was spoken and GREEKS
n was inevitable that the colonies should become sep
arate exstences. But though not slave the Greek COZ
Ony was at least IN majority OF cases 1un cna'
ETY. OF ways The latter styled by u the metropolis
mother city Il was almost ParIlcide TO wage 9, war
40 ains it, Its citizens received special tokens OF re-
spec among others the right to occupy front seats III
tie ereat festivals honor which can better under
stand since the excavation Of the great teaer OF
Bacchus Athens has revealed immediately above the
ORCHESTRA row OF ca or 20 magnificent marble seats
thrones as the inscriptions upon them indicate,
for archons high priests euo9oI' ana Hec
parent and sent of colony IL was customary 10 pay
respect 20 the original state by seeking thence th9
founder" who was TO be lntrnsttd WIN dclatorlal
powers until the complete establishment OF the new
community. 50. too the sacred ire that
of the colony, and upon the maintenance of
which was deemed 10 depend IN some measure
the prosperity OF the state obtained In the hIst n
stance from the hall of the mother city, and thence
the fire again sought should the flame throieh any
misfortune, have been extlnguished. Altogether the
relation of colony and mother city was delicate one In
which was generally conceded by way OF grall-
tude than was demanded as rlgnt sometimes ~ Is
true, the relation became lnharmOnlOus, as IN the
famous instance of CorcyTa which was the occasion OF
the Pcloponneslan war put 50 e1WtagH was u IA me
DRY and in ordinary practice that statesmen appealed to
Greek usage at tho commandment OF our vout9hsry
war, aud Wing and Tory wa1ed valiant IN England III
discussion respecting the customs OF Greeks more than
The lecturer next gave survey, in connection with
grams. OF the three main divisions OF the Greek col
ones In the East OF the three great races that TOOK
part the IOnans most successful and their city OF
Mietus IS even said 10 have in turn become the proinc
mother OF 70 Or US some say 20 secondary colonies
map tue Black showed by colOrs that the estab
shments of Mctus with those OF the rest OF the Ionic
occupied more than haf It's entire circumference
The coast, the mouths OF the Danube, on both
sides OF tho Crinea in the extreme east, aud on the
Aatc side, in their possession In Africa, owing
TO the power OF Egypt and Carthage the Greeks
restricted TO settling upon the high plateau OF Cyrene,
midway between their great enemies, and where tho
Mediterranean contracts very considerably. But In
Italy and Sicily they successful the east.
Larger and Weather cities here than any 70 be
found IN The mother country. None Of the latter
larger than Athens, which Is supposed to have had
population Of 10000 2DO0o souls. while ght
OF the colonial cities large larger. Syracuse,
the largest city OF the Greek world, had population
vanOusly estimated from 5O0O 10 1.2cOOOO and the
circuit of the walls three times great that Of
the Athenan city proper The westernmost colonies,
such Massila, the modern MaIseilles not be
left cat Of the account. Altogether. the distance from
the most remote colonies least
nile aud the distance between the most nOrthery
50 utterly about 900 miles. They did not indeed,
tins enufe space Tor II Is remarkable fact that the
Greeks confined themselves almost always 10 the
coast ana rarely founded colonies than few miles
from the water
The great prosperity Of the Greek colonies was con
nned 10 comparatively brief space Of time. In part 10
was te DarDsiahs whom they had dspossessed OF their
lands that returned after requiring q better know ge
other times great empires such the LydIau and PER-
sian crushed them with the irresistible weight az their
iuense resources. More frequently Greek hands ruined
their work sybaris was destroyed not merely by
Greeks but by Greeks OF the tribe and conieeraey
1.-The citizens VI the DeghbOrDg Croona. stl oleIcf