Pontica Varia

The results of excavations carried out over the last 120 years by Russian and Ukrainian archaeologists at the sites of ancient Greek colonies in the northern Black Sea, as well as sporadic chance discoveries made in these places, form a large body of material for research into various aspects of both the poleis of a non-Mediterranean colonial periphery, which was in contact with Scythian nomads, and the Greek world in general. This book is part of such research, dealing mainly with the philological-historical interpretation of epigraphic and literary texts, taking into account the research of archaeologists - as far as possible, since the author is not an archaeologist. The work contributes to studies on the relationship between polis and city; innovations in the religion of the Greeks of the far north-east; Orphic religiosity and its relationship to the origins of philosophy; 'private justice' (right of sylan); and the organization and social status of maritime trade.