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PONTIC HISTORY

Greek colonies in the land of Black sea.


The beginning of Pontos history is dated near 1000 b.C with the descent of Dorians in Greece, Achaoi were forced to emigrate, and colonise the coasts of Ionia and next the south coasts of Italy and Sicily and end to the Black Sea, in geographical place called Pontos.The first name, "inhospitable" Pontos (very likely for the deep see of Pontos in the south coast, and the hostile and savage native people), has became quickly into “hospitable" (Evxinos) Pontos, that is hospitable for the Greeks, where they colonise the areas of the land of Pontos. The reasons, which impulse the first Greek colonists in the land of Pontos, where mostly financial economical and trade issues. From the area and the local mines, iron, cooper, salt, flax, lumber, grain, wool, wax, honey, and the most precious metal, gold, ware being brought to the mainland of Greece. For 3000 years the Greeks in the land of Pontos kept their Christian Orthodox religion unchangeable and immutable, as well as their ancient Greek language, in the form of Pontiac dialect. The specific dialect preserves elements of the ancient (Ionian, coasts of Turkey in Aegean sea). The Greeks in Pontos created a civilisation that reached quickly in his highest point, zenith, in trade and letters-writing despite the difficult circumstances through the years and time passed. They created schools for their children(1682 the coaching-tuition school of Trapezounta), from which men of letters and wisdom, were attend and teach teachers, professors, bankers, doctors and other scientists were mostly the vocational education and guidance that Greeks of Pontos had. Hundrents of churches were built and preserved for many years, like the Holy Church of Blessed Panagia (Virgin Mary) Soumela. (The naming Soumela was given because of the locationof the church, which was in the mountain Mela)

Historical Features

Even though that the history of Greeks in Pontos is lost in the deep years of time, with the Argonaut’s expedition and the first establishment of Greeks in those areas after the Trojan War (1100 b.C), we can say that the history of Greeks in the land of Pontos is clearly revealed with the creation of Sinopi from Milisious colonists in 785 b.C. Later in time other Greek colonies were created like Trapezounta (756 b.C), Kerasounta (700 b.C), Amisos (Samsounta 600 b.C), Kotioron (Orntou), Tripoleos etc. Pontos, trough out the historical life (1100 b.C - 1922 a.C), a time period of 3000 years, was one of the greatest and major parts of the Greek nation and Greek history. Through this history, in which the Hellenism (Greek nation) of the area, in the ancient years, Alexander the Great years through to the Roman occupation and the Bizantic empire didn't stop to preserve intact, unchangeable and immutable his national identity and kept his national belief and morale prosperous and active with dignity, and his religion, beliefs, and traditions unfaltering and unfaltering.