Caria and Crete in Antiquity: Cultural Interaction Between Anatolia and the Aegean

287 Pages·2017·10.478 MB·English

by  Naomi Carless Unwin

A persistent tradition existed in antiquity linking Caria with the island of Crete. C
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This central theme of regional history is mirrored in the civic mythologies, cults r
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and toponyms of southwestern Anatolia. This book explains why by approaching e
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this diverse body of material with a broad chronological view, taking into
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account both the origins of this regional narrative and its endurance. It considers n
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the mythologies in the light of archaeologically attested contacts during the Caria and Crete
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Bronze Age, exploring whether such interaction could have left a residuum in
later traditions. The continued relevance of this aspect of Carian history is then in Antiquity
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considered in the light of contacts during the Classical and Hellenistic periods,
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with analysis of how, and in which contexts, traditions survived. The Carians were r
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an Anatolian people; however, their integration into the mythological framework a Cultural Interaction between

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of the Greek world reveals that interaction with the Aegean was a fundamental
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in Naomi Carless Unwin is a Research Fellow at the Center for Hellenic Studies at r
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Printed in the United Kingdom Cover illustration: Woodcut illustration to an
unidentified Latin edition of Sebastian Münster,
‘Cosmographia’, c.1544–52. © British Museum
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Caria and Crete in Antiquity
A persistent tradition existed in antiquity linking Caria with the island
of Crete. Th is central theme of regional history is mirrored in the
civic mythologies, cults and toponyms of southwestern Anatolia. Th is
book explains why by approaching this diverse body of material with
a broad chronological view, taking into account both the origins of
this regional narrative and its endurance. It considers the mythologies
in the light of archaeologically attested contacts during the Bronze
Age, exploring whether such interaction could have left a residuum
in later traditions. Th e continued relevance of this aspect of Carian
history is then considered in the light of contacts during the Classical
and Hellenistic periods, with analysis of how, and in which contexts,
traditions survived. Th e Carians were an Anatolian people; however,
their integration into the mythological framework of the Greek world
reveals that interaction with the Aegean was a fundamental aspect of
their history.
NAOMI CARLESS UNWIN is a Research Fellow at the Center for
Hellenic Studies at Harvard University. She has been involved for
many years in the archaeological excavations at the sanctuary of
Labraunda in Caria, focusing particularly on the epigraphy of the site.

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9781107194175pre_pi-xx.indd ii 6/8/2017 6:25:47 PM
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Caria and Crete in Antiquity
Cultural Interaction between Anatolia and
the Aegean
Naomi Carless Unwin

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education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title:  www.cambridge.org/ 9781107194175
DOI: 10.1017/ 9781108151801
© Naomi Carless Unwin 2017
Th is publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2017
Printed in the United Kingdom by Clays, St Ives plc
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging -i n- P ublication Data
Names: Unwin, Naomi Carless, 1985– author.
Title: Caria and Crete in antiquity : cultural interaction between Anatolia
and the Aegean / Naomi Carless Unwin.
Description: Cambridge, United Kingdom; New York, NY : Cambridge University
Press, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifi ers: LCCN 2017008194 | ISBN 9781107194175 (hardback: alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Caria – History. | Crete (Greece) –History. |
Caria – Relations – Greece – Crete. | Crete
(Greece) – Relations – Turkey – Caria.
Classifi cation: LCC DS156.C33 U59 2017 | DDC 303.48/2392403918–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017008194
ISBN 978- 1- 107- 19417- 5 Hardback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
of URLs for external or third- party internet websites referred to in this publication
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.

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To my parents

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Contents
List of Figures page [ ix ]
List of Maps [ x ]
Preface [ xi ]
A Note on Transliteration and Translation [ xiv ]
List of Abbreviations [ xv ]
Introduction: Approaching the Topic of Carian– Cretan
Interaction [ 1 ]
Th e Carian–Cretan Connection [ 2 ]
Caria and Crete in the Maritime Itineraries of the Mediterranean [ 8 ]
Th e Labrys and the Labyrinth [ 16 ]
Network Formation and Cultural Exchange [ 25 ]
Approaching Carian– Cretan Interaction [ 29 ]
1 Articulating a ‘Carian’ Identity [ 32 ]
‘Th e Carians of Barbarian Speech’ [ 34 ]
Language and Identity [ 42 ]
D elimiting ‘Caria’ and the ‘Carians’ [5 1]
2 Th e Role of Crete in the Mythologies, Local Histories
and Cults of Caria [ 61 ]
Ancient Engagement with the Past [ 62 ]
Sarpedon, Miletos and Kaunos [ 66 ]
Th e ‘Minoan’ Ports of Anatolia [ 73 ]
Th e Krētinaion of Magnesia- on- the- Maeander [ 76 ]
Th e Carian Kouretes [ 81 ]
Reading Mythological Traditions [ 88 ]
3 Th e Case of Miletos: Archaeology and Mythology [ 91 ]
Th e Processes of Transmission and the Question of Origins [ 92 ]
Late Bronze Age Miletos [ 98 ]
Minoan and Mycenaean Contacts with Southwestern Anatolia [ 104 ]
Western Anatolia in the Hittite Sources [ 112 ]
Caria on the Interface [ 117 ]
Miletos: Continuities and Innovation [ 119 ]
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viii Contents
4 Interaction and the Reception of the Cretan Connection during
the Hellenistic Period [ 124 ]
Tracing Interaction between Caria and Crete [ 124 ]
Th e Cretan Decrees from Mylasa [ 137 ]
Cretan Diplomacy and Cretan Piracy [ 149 ]
Contextualising the Mylasan Inscriptions [ 155 ]
Th e Role of the Past in Diplomatic Discourse [ 160 ]
5 Inscribing History at Magnesia- on- the- Maeander: Civic
Engagement with the Past [ 169 ]
Inscribing History [ 169 ]
Th e Civic Context of the ‘Origin Myth’ [ 177 ]
Shaping the Past [ 180 ]
6 A ‘Cretan- Born’ Zeus in Caria: Religious Mobility between Caria
and Crete [ 189 ]
Th e Evidence [ 190 ]
Dynastic Infl uence vs. Local Dynamics [ 193 ]
Th e Constitutional Reforms at Euromos [ 197 ]
Interaction and Religious Mobility [ 200 ]
Interpreting the Carian Cults of Zeus Kretagenes/ Kretagenetas [ 205 ]
C oncluding Remarks [2 09]
Appendix 1: I . Magnesia 17 [ 213 ]
Appendix 2: Th e ‘Cretan Dossier’ of Mylasa [ 217 ]
References [ 231 ]
Index [ 258 ]

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Figures
1 Carian letter forms. Table and fonts: I.J. Adiego page [ 3 ]
2 Tetradrachm of Maussollos , fourth century bc . Photograph
© Th e Trustees of the British Museum [ 17 ]
3 Excavations at Labraunda, 1948. Photograph: Labraunda
Archive [ 19 ]
4 Dedication of Andron B by Maussollos at Labraunda, fourth century
bc. Photograph: P. Hellström [ 47 ]
5 Silver obol from Halikarnassos, fi ft h century bc , depicting the
forepart of Pegasos. Photograph © Th e Trustees of the British
Museum [ 55 ]
6 Marble block inscribed with I . Mylasa 661 and 662.
Photograph: W. Blümel [ 143 ]
7 Fragment of a block inscribed with I . Mylasa 657.
Photograph: W. Blümel [ 144 ]
8 Squeeze of I. Magnesia 20. Inscriptiones Graecae, Berlin. Author’s
photograph [ 179 ]
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