← Explore on the interactive map

Marseille (Massilia)

Type Object Region Southern France Time c. -600–1

A Greek colonial city-state founded c. 600 BCE by Phocaeans on the Mediterranean coast of present-day southern France, one of the earliest large Gree…

Timeline

  1. c. -600–-550Bay of Marseille · ProvenceMigrants from Phocaea in Asia Minor founded a colonial city-state here, choosing a natural harbor and building walls and port facilities, becoming an important Greek outpost in the Western Mediterranean.
  2. c. -500–-200Marseille and the Rhône valley corridor · ProvenceMarseille controlled the trade in wine, olive oil, metals, and slaves, connecting to the Gallic interior via the Rhône valley; Greek artifacts, coinage, and crafts spread from here to Celtic regions, forming an important zone of cultural contact.
  3. c. -125–1City of Marseille · ProvenceAfter Rome's conquest of southern Gaul, Marseille retained considerable autonomy as a long-standing ally and continued to function as a Mediterranean trade port; Greek, Celtic, and Roman cultures converged here, laying the foundation for later Roman provincial cities.

Sources