Do you know of historic evidence for ancient Greeks arriving in the American continent?

Question

Reading Argonautica and Odyssey, as well as Colombus trips, Greeks communicated with America (Northa dn South) thousands of years before Colombus. Do you know/ have any evidence? Can you propose of some direction?

Answer 1

Hello!
Well, besides the written documents of Orpheus (Argonautica), Homer (Odyssey), Arrianos (when Alexandre met cynic philosopher Diogenes), we have, from the European side, the third voyage of Columbus, etc.
From the "American" side, we have Historian Henrieta Mertz (sorry for spelling mistakes), the tradition, inscriptions, language, arts, sciences, myths and archaeological findings throughout the Americas. From South, with Araukans and plenty other tribes claiming common blood with Greeks, to North, with dozens of tribes claiming common blood, thousands of words with Greek roots, artifacts, etc., like in New Foundland, Arizona, etc.! Tribes like MicMac, Atticameks, Chris, Abenakis, Malacites, etc., claim they were visited about 4 thousand years ago by Greeks! When the European came to America, the local welcome them as relatives, since many of the local considered they had common ancestry.

Answer 2

Firstly the Jason and the Argonauts story is focused round the Greek Islands in the Aegean, secondly Homers Odyssey can be maped possibly as far as magna Graecia (greater Greece- South Italy)

It is true the city of Marseilles in south France was founded as a Greek colony, and I would also note that the Greeks traded with the Gauls, and it is plausible that such object can be found all over northern Europe, not as evidence of Greek migration but the movement of goods. A Greek doesn't have to sell a Athenian vase, much as the French dont have to sell Champagne for a person to be able to hold it. Greek goods were lucrative all other Europe as seen in the tombs of buried Gallic Kings.

There are no records of Ancient Greeks travelling beyond Europe (westwards), and the question is by which Greek state. Most likely Athens or Korinth would launch such a expedition, or was it a private individual. A state could not fund a expedition nor carry out such a feat without attention from the Athenian Sophoi, who would not doubt be interested in this pursuit, if that was the case such a discovery would be well documented.

I should note that Greek ships are designed for Mediterranean travel, not for the ocean. Point: Carthage was a Phoececian colony. During the First Punic war Rome copied its design. The only records Im aware of the Roman vessals going on the ocean is against the Vetii and that was with great difficulty even while still being close to the coast. How much more difficult for the Athenians 300 years earlier. The Greek Trieme requires 300 people thus the cost was great, not to mention Athens had more pressing Naval issues. The next great Greek power is Sparta, who disdained nor could not afford expeditions, Korinth on the other hand was more interested in trade.

Greece is a very small nation divided into polis and leagues, it is amazing its colonies spread across europe. Regardless of the sea worthy-ness of a Trireme or any other Greek Vessal there is no evidence in any literature to solidly prove an expedition to America. Nor would anyone have any desire too.

As far as Rome, Carthage or Phoececian (while being great traders and explorers knew the value of a coin) are concerned they simply did not have the desire. Why would they when they have more important issues, there would be no wealth gained from discovering America (not like when Colombus went). As for Athenian coins, I have one in New Zealand, most likely some 16th C collector.

p.s Etruscia was a small tribe in Italy with little or no Naval capability

Direction: Take a objective approach to evidence, Its not recorded and local folklore is misleading and often fanciful.

Answer 3

There is no such evidence whatsoever.

There are a great many people who either for fun or because they want to believe otherwise have written novels and tortured attempts at "history" about it. NONE are accurate.

This is a favorite subject of "diffusionists" who think that Native Americans got the idea for pyramids from either Egyptians or Greek seafarers, or else from aliens. "Diffusionists" also believe that the Vikings settled much of what is the area of southern Canada and the American upper Midwest. One primary promoter of the idea, through his novels, is Clive Cussler.

There is no evidence of any kind that of any of this in any way can be considered valid or credible.

The absolutely BEST study of the explorations of the ancients is the book by professor Duane K. Roller, "Through the Pillars of Herakles: Greco-Roman Exploration of the Atlantic." I just finished this fairly short volume a while ago and highly recommend it.

Be warned, this is a SERIOUS piece of scholarship. There are footnotes, references, and discussions about the serious work of earlier academics to evaluate the writings of ancient Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians. There are big words, and complicated sentences. But the book is accurate and very readable to the average person who wants to genuinely study this subject.

Details are in the "sources" section.

Answer 4

The journey of Jason and the Argonauts and the return of Odysseus from Troy are famous events in Greek mythology.

One should note that these two epics two exist in the mythological genre. They cannot be referred to for historical evidence -- they are depictions of fictional events. The places that both heroes visit are fabulous locations that emerged from the vivid imaginations of Greek society, not from actual geographical experiences. It would be difficult to construe the discovery of America from the literature. Only the wildest of Classicists would advance such a theory.

Regarding Mediterranean claims: there is limited evidence that the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, or the Romans may have made the journey; evidence includes Roman coins found in the state of Indiana, oblique references to Aristotle, and references in other types of literature. These few instances, however, are not sufficient to disrupt our current chronological understanding of America's discovery -- in addition, much of this proof is archaeological, not literary, in nature.

A certain stir was created several years ago when a scholar proposed that the Chinese discovered America, and offered architectural, artistic, and agricultural proofs. This theory, however, has not gained wide acceptance.

In general, linguistic and genetic proofs for ancient contact are not well-supported by scholars.

Best of luck to you in proving your hypothesis.

Answer 5

Any literature you've read is either pure speculation or pure fantasy. The Greeks sailed in Triremes, which couldn't wander far from the coast (which is why they were so prominent in the Mediterranean). It would have been impossible to cross the Atlantic.

Remember, too, that Odyssey and any other ancient book is open to interpretation, because it's written in poetic form in a language that only half exists today.

Answer 6

Try checking out the Piri Reis Map, an ancient map dating back thousands of years which was a copy of the 15th century made from The Alexandrian Library original which Came from earlier time. Not only does it have America on it but the outline of a southern continent also-Antarctica?

Answer 7

Simply put- there is no evidence whatsoever that the ancient greeks reached the Americas.

Looking at the cultural and political geography of the period it is most unlikely that anybody ever will find any. Of course that won't stop new-age dreamers writing books offering their own fantasies as some sort of theory.

Have you heard the one about the ancient Egyptians visiting the east coast of Australia?

Answer 8

I know they reached as far as the Ether/Eather , which is either Skandinavia or The British Islands , no one confirmed for sure . But it is known that Vikings reached Canada , and I think there are some sites discovered which can prove that . And it is speculated tha Phoenicians might have reached The Americas as well . I am a bit sceptical of Greeks reaching so far , they were good navigators , but not as good as Phoenicians and Etruscans .
Then again , who knows ?

Answer 9

Many historian beleive that the Phoenecian did in 3000 B.C. Some also beleive the Viking did in A.D. However, no body said anything about the Greek. I beleive they didn't

Answer 10

I don't think there is any such evidence. The probable reason for this is that it never happened.