Etruscans, Oscans and Western Greeks in South Campania

Ethnic identity and the relationship of different ethnic groups has been one main topic of ancient sciences in the recent past. Project P 13148 on the situation in ancient Campania is a contribution to this general discussion. One result of the research work was to show clearly the social and political importance of common places of worship where members of the different ethnic groups could come together and interact under the legal protection of a certain political power with the divine legitimazion of a goddess (Grenze, Handel, Heiligtum- die Bedeutung ethnisch übergreifender Kultstätten Südkampaniens in archaischer Zeit, Anzeiger der philosophisch-historische Klasse der Öst. Akad. d. Wiss., 135. Jhg. 2000, 61-88). More specific studies concerned the organization of sacral live in greek Poseidonia in archaic times (Beschriftete Silberstücke des 6. Jh. v. Chr. aus Poseidonia, Minima Epigrafica et Papyrologica III,4, 2000, 7-16; Das Hypogäum auf der Agora von Poseidonia - ein Kultort der Tritopatores? Kernos 13, 2000, 107-116.) The analysis of the situation in the following period made it clear that the members of the various ethnic and cultural groups of ancient Campania could belong to differently composed political communities. These political communities used a variety of forms of cultural expression (form and decoration of public buildings, coin types etc.) and political administration (legislation, monetary system etc.) rooted in the tradition of different ethnic and cultural groups. Any comprehensive social-historical analysis has therefore to distinguish exactly ethnic grous, cultural groups and political communities. The belonging to a certain ethnic group could be used (and abused) as a means of political progapanda, but it could never stop the fruitful cultural exchange and the peaceful living togehter of Etruscans, Oscans and Greeks in ancient Campania.