Pontic Greek - a representative of the Greek ethos, whose 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?
Pontus is the historical name of the area in Asia Minor. Geographically, it extends from the border of Azerbaijan with Turkey, crosses the entire Turkish coast and ends on the line of the cities of Nikopol - Akdagma-Deni. How did the Greek settlers come so far from the sunny islands of their homeland?
Antique Greeks established themselves as excellent traders and colonialists. Their native country was distinguished by scarce soil and mountainous terrain. This created acceptable conditions for animal husbandry, but farmers had a hard time - meager mountainous soils brought small crops, which were barely enough to feed their own families. As zealous owners, the Greeks did not begin to develop obviously unprofitable agriculture, but they discovered the prospects of marine wealth and trade routes.
Trade routes
Pontic Greek is a sailor and merchant. He was a welcome guest on all banks of the ecumenical community. 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 storage of goods that small settlements of seafarers and merchants arose, who on the spot were engaged in trade with native peoples and exorbitantly resold exotic goods in the cities of Greece, Asia Minor and the Middle East.
First cities
The oldest known settlement of the Pontic Greeks was found on the coast of Asia Minor, in the city of Milita. After several decades, in the VIII-IX centuries BC. e. the magnificent Sinop arose, which is now the pearl of the Turkish Black Sea. Then the cities of Amissos, Kotior, Kerasund and many others arose like mushrooms after rain. Ancient Herodotus did not say in vain that the Pontic Greeks settled around the Black Sea, like frogs along the edges of a puddle. This metaphor accurately reflects the goals and methods of resettlement of the Greeks.
Despite the rather intrusive colonization, no major clashes with local tribes took place. The Pontic Greek was able to speak with warlike natives, not by force, but by ringing coin. Such a policy nullified the claims of the leaders of local peoples - if anyone was indignant, the settlers preferred to pay off rather than fight. The Pontic Greeks established excellent exchange of goods - they brought raw materials and grain crops to their homeland, and they sent olive oil, wine, pottery and handicrafts, and jewelry to distant cities.
Religion and Traditions of Pontus
How did the representative of the ancient people, the Pontic Greek, justify his residence away from his homeland? The religion of these settlers basically copied the beliefs of a distant native 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 temples of Poseidon and Hermes - patrons of the sea and trade. They had Pontic Greeks and their own traditions. For example, many of them preferred to explain their origin with myths about Jason and the Argonauts. Perhaps the golden fleece itself in this famous legend symbolized the wealth of the Black Sea region, moreover, sheepskin (fleece) is one of the main objects of trade.
Culture and art
The Pontic Greek zealously kept his identity and proclaimed himself a Hellenic representative of civilization, as opposed to barbarians - the surrounding tribes, who at that time were at the stage of decomposition of the clan system. The population of the colonies retained their identity and gave the world unique people who became famous in various fields of activity. Philosopher Diogenes, politicians Difil, Iraklides, Stravon. Already in the first millennium, the names of Vissarion and others appeared in theology, and New Time 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 Hellenization era began. During the reign of Mithridates, this influence was still very strong - in Asia Minor their language flourished, monuments of architecture and art were created.
In the heyday of the Roman Empire, the Pontic Greek became 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 up in monasteries, where supporters of the new faith found refuge.
Greeks or Romans?
In the time of 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" - as 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 this, the Nicene State appears on the map, which later enters the empire of Trebizond. Over the course of its bicentennial existence, this empire has continuously fought against the surrounding tribes of the non-Christian faith. The Turks, who in 1461 conquered and plundered Trebizond, were particularly persistent in attacking the state of the Romans.
Muslim dominion
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 in fear of taking their own lives - that is what brought the Greeks to Turkish rule. The survivors left cities, pastures and churches and moved high up 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. The modest production, handicraft and meager harvests collected from mountainous, badlands did not attract the attention of greedy military leaders and supreme Turkish officials. Perhaps this is why the Greeks managed to preserve their language and culture, expand the area of their residence in 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 lands that they had long considered native.
Exile
For many years, Turkish authorities have not recognized the genocide and persecution of Armenians. But few people know that at the beginning of the 20th century other Turkish nationalities, including the Pontic Greeks, were persecuted. The genocide of this ethnic group became the reason for the complete eradication of the Greeks from their native lands and their forced expulsion from the territory of Turkey. More than 350 thousand people were burned in churches and temples, the survivors fled, abandoning all their property. May 19 was a mournful day for this people. As a result, the Pontic Greeks settled on the territories of other states. They were forced to leave their homeland.
Pontic Greeks in Russia settled on the territory of the Kuban and in the North Caucasus. Mostly they speak Russian, but retained some of the ancient traditions of their people. But most of the Pontic Greeks returned to their native shores of Greece.
So, 2.5 millennia after the first immigrants left the rocky coast of Greece, they had to return to their native lands. Their odyssey ended with a return to their homeland. We wish them happiness.