Isotopic evidence for geographic heterogeneity in Ancient Greek military forces

[kingjohn]

[h=2]Abstract[/h]Increased mobility and human interactions in the Mediterranean region during the eighth through fifth centuries BCE resulted in heterogeneous communities held together by political and cultural affiliations, periodically engaged in military conflict. Ancient historians write of alliances that aided the Greek Sicilian colony Himera in victory against a Carthaginian army of hired foreign mercenaries in 480 BCE, and the demise of Himera when it fought Carthage again in 409 BCE, this time unaided. Archaeological human remains from the Battles of Himera provide unique opportunities to test early written history by geochemically assessing the geographic origins of ancient Greek fighting forces. We report strontium and oxygen isotope ratios of tooth enamel from 62 Greek soldiers to evaluate the historically-based hypothesis that a coalition of Greek allies saved Himera in 480 BCE, but not in 409 BCE. Among the burials of 480 BCE, approximately two-thirds of the individuals are non-local, whereas among the burials of 409 BCE, only one-quarter are non-local, in support of historical accounts. Although historical accounts specifically mention Sicilian Greek allies aiding Himera, isotopic values of many of the 480 BCE non-locals are consistent with geographic regions beyond Sicily, suggesting Greek tyrants hired foreign mercenaries from more distant places. We describe how the presence of mercenary soldiers confronts prevailing interpretations of traditional Greek values and society. Greek fighting forces reflect the interconnectedness and heterogeneity of communities of the time, rather than culturally similar groups of neighbors fighting for a common cause, unified by “Greekness,” as promoted in ancient texts.


source:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0248803


p.s
no dna here but isotop anlaysis
dont know why they didn't test for y haplogroups of those forces

 

[bicicleur 2]

We describe how the presence of mercenary soldiers confronts prevailing interpretations of traditional Greek values and society.

they paid probably good money for those mercenairies, but the mercenairies were supposed to keep a low profile
they shouldn't share the glory : “Greekness,” as promoted in ancient texts.

 

[Archetype0ne]

What is up with these Anthropologists as of late?
Hey we found out the patient has cancer through a blood test, sorry can't do no further screening/biopsy. That is how it feels with these half arsed studies. (not best analogy, just couldn't find another descriptive one for the scenario).
Maybe they want to milk the same data for more than 1 study to extend grants/funding. Still lame.

 

[Palermo Trapani]

What is up with these Anthropologists as of late?
Hey we found out the patient has cancer through a blood test, sorry can't do no further screening/biopsy. That is how it feels with these half arsed studies. (not best analogy, just couldn't find another descriptive one for the scenario).
Maybe they want to milk the same data for more than 1 study to extend grants/funding. Still lame.

I get what you are saying but I looked at all of the authors academic fields and as you alluded to they are all Anthropologist except for one Geologist. No Geneticist on the paper with these authors. Perhaps another group of Geneticists already has permits to analyze the data for Y/Mtnda and autosomal DNA, etc. Since the DNA samples are under the control of the Parco Archeologico di Himera, Sicily, Italy. My guess is Geneticists in Italy probably have the permits to do the DNA analysis and probably have already teamed up with somebody like Krause at Max Plank or Reich at Harvard. Just conjecture on my part for the record.

Still, I see on this paper there is only one Italian academic from the University of Palermo, which there should be since it is their data, but I am surprised there are not more Italian Anthropologists on the paper.

Just last week a team of Italian Anthropologist found 9 Neanderthals together in a cave near Rome. That team released their findings in a Press release and I hope they put together an academic paper and get it published. I am surprised that news article has not been linked here, if it has, I apologize to the member that linked it as I must have missed it.

 

[Duarte]

Just last week a team of Italian Anthropologist found 9 Neanderthals together in a cave near Rome. That team released their findings in a Press release and I hope they put together an academic paper and get it published. I am surprised that news article has not been linked here, if it has, I apologize to the member that linked it as I must have missed it.

See that @PT

Remains of nine Neanderthals found in cave south of Rome

... Italian archaeologists have unearthed the bones of nine Neanderthals who were allegedly hunted and mauled by hyenas in their den about 100km south-east of Rome.

Scientists from the Archaeological Superintendency of Latina and the University of Tor Vergata in Rome said the remains belong to seven adult males and one female, while another are those of a young boy.
Experts believe the individuals lived in different time periods. Some bones could be as old as 50,000 to 68,000 years, whereas the most ancient remains are believed to be 100,000 years old.

The Neanderthal remains, which include skullcaps and broken jawbones, were found in the Guattari cave, which had already gained notoriety for the presence of fossils of these distant human cousins, which were found by chance in 1939. Since then, no further human remains had been uncovered in Guattari...

https://www.theguardian.com/science...nine-neanderthals-found-in-cave-south-of-rome

 

[Palermo Trapani]

Duarte: Ok, thanks, I see Salento posted that , I missed that thread, glad He was on top of that!!! And you found the original post. Thanks