11-18-2010, 02:52 PM
Well... according to Herodot it was the Atheneans who were hellenized barbarians.
I think that the genesis of the "Hellenic race" is well described in his work :
"As for the Hellenic race, it has used ever the same language, as I clearly perceive, since it first took its rise; but
since the time when it parted off feeble at first from the Pelasgian race, setting forth from a small beginning it has increased to that great number of races which we see, and chiefly because many barbarian races have been added to it besides. Moreover it is true, as I think, of the Pelasgian race also, that so far as it remained barbarian it never made any great increase."
Here we see that the Greeks clearly understood that many Hellenes were actually assimilated populations (like the Athenian Pelasgians). This is a direct contrast to what many believe regarding Hellenic racism and egalitarianism and clearly shows that genes counted only to a certain point and to a certain time back.
I think that the genesis of the "Hellenic race" is well described in his work :
"As for the Hellenic race, it has used ever the same language, as I clearly perceive, since it first took its rise; but
since the time when it parted off feeble at first from the Pelasgian race, setting forth from a small beginning it has increased to that great number of races which we see, and chiefly because many barbarian races have been added to it besides. Moreover it is true, as I think, of the Pelasgian race also, that so far as it remained barbarian it never made any great increase."
Here we see that the Greeks clearly understood that many Hellenes were actually assimilated populations (like the Athenian Pelasgians). This is a direct contrast to what many believe regarding Hellenic racism and egalitarianism and clearly shows that genes counted only to a certain point and to a certain time back.
