Greeks in Iron Age Central Europe: Patterns of Interaction and Change

Interaction between the Greek world and central Europe is well documented between the sixth century BC and the Roman conquests. During the sixth and fifth centuries BC, archaeological evidence shows importation of Greek luxury materials, transmission of technical knowledge, and adoption of cultural practices in central Europe. During the fourth and third centuries BC, men from central Europe served as mercenary soldiers in the eastern Mediterranean region; when they returned home, some brought Greek coins, which formed the basis for the development of local coinage systems. In the final two centuries BC, communities in central Europe began the practice of writing using Greek characters. While we have abundant evidence for the effects of interaction with the Greek world on cultural developments in central Europe, we have as yet no comparable understanding of the effect of those interactions on the Greek world.