A fragment of Solon, that defines Athens as the oldest land in Ionia (Sol. fr. 4 Gentili - Prato2), has been frequently interpreted, starting with Eduard Meyer, as the oldest reference to Athens as the metropolis of the Ionian cities of Asia since the 5th century BC. The article aims at demonstrating that the Ionia referred to by Solon is not the Ionia of Asia, but the continental Ionia which is represented in Delphic Amphictyony by Athens and Euboea, and in the Homeric poetry by the helkechitones Ionians. Therefore, Athens mentioned by Solon is not the metropolis of the Ionian cities of Asia, but the place where the first Ionians had their origins (Urheimat). We argue that the myth of Athens, as the oldest land of Ionia, arose in the frame the relationships between Athens and Delphi in order to consolidate the role of Athens in the Amphictyony: Solon revitalised and promoted this myth in the context of his Delphic policy. In the final part, we analyse a passage from the IX Book of Diodorus Siculus, where Solon is told to have fought the corrupt and effeminate customs derived from the syngeneia with the Ionians of Asia.

Frammenti di preistoria cittadina. Solone e le origini ioniche di Atene / Federico, E.. - In: HISTORIKA. - ISSN 2039-4985. - 9:(2019), pp. 401-416.

Frammenti di preistoria cittadina. Solone e le origini ioniche di Atene

E. Federico
2019

Abstract

A fragment of Solon, that defines Athens as the oldest land in Ionia (Sol. fr. 4 Gentili - Prato2), has been frequently interpreted, starting with Eduard Meyer, as the oldest reference to Athens as the metropolis of the Ionian cities of Asia since the 5th century BC. The article aims at demonstrating that the Ionia referred to by Solon is not the Ionia of Asia, but the continental Ionia which is represented in Delphic Amphictyony by Athens and Euboea, and in the Homeric poetry by the helkechitones Ionians. Therefore, Athens mentioned by Solon is not the metropolis of the Ionian cities of Asia, but the place where the first Ionians had their origins (Urheimat). We argue that the myth of Athens, as the oldest land of Ionia, arose in the frame the relationships between Athens and Delphi in order to consolidate the role of Athens in the Amphictyony: Solon revitalised and promoted this myth in the context of his Delphic policy. In the final part, we analyse a passage from the IX Book of Diodorus Siculus, where Solon is told to have fought the corrupt and effeminate customs derived from the syngeneia with the Ionians of Asia.
2019
Frammenti di preistoria cittadina. Solone e le origini ioniche di Atene / Federico, E.. - In: HISTORIKA. - ISSN 2039-4985. - 9:(2019), pp. 401-416.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/789577
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