Early Greek States Beyond the Polis

Book excerpt: Clear and direct in style, and with more than eighty photographs, maps and plans, Early Greek States Beyond the Polis is a widely relevant study of Greek history, archaeology and society. Catherine Morgan addresses the different forms of association experienced by early Iron-Age and Archaic Greeks by exploring the archaeological, literary and epigraphical records of central Greece and the northern Peloponnese. Giving an unprecedented understanding of the connections between polis identity and other forms and tiers of association, and refuting the traditional view of early Greek 'ethnic' groups (ethne) as simple systems based on primitive tribal ties, students will find this an essential text in the study of Greek history.