Founders and Heroes at Megara and Her “Colonies”
Founders and Heroes at Megara and Her “Colonies”

Summary/Abstract: The article is focusing on the celebration of founders and tutelary heroes at Megara and her colonies from Sicily, Propontis and the Black Sea. These historical and heroic figures are mentioned as oikistai, ktistai, archegetai or hegemones by the ancient sources, and they participated to the foundation of Megarian “colonies” (apoikiai) or of settlements in the territory of these cities. Some of these heroes give their name to local rivers or appeared on the coins of the cities. The analysis aims to show the ways the Megarian heritage and cultic traditions were used in the apoikiai in order to create a new sacred landscape and new civic identities. The founders and several heroes of Megara are also investigated in this study in order to stress changes in the local religious beliefs.

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