The Dynamics of Pre-Colonial Interaction: Greeks and Indigenous Heterarchy of the Eastern Adriatic

Landscape is often considered an essential component for the development of socio-political systems, while relief and topographic specificities can, to a large extent, enable or limit social development. This study focuses on the Eastern Adriatic – the narrow coastal region extending from the Bojana in the south to the Soča in the north, bordered by the Dinaric Alps. The area also encompasses the numerous islands that form one of the most indented coastlines in the Mediterranean. While the relationship between Greeks and the indigenous population is discussed, the primary focus remains on the latter. The specific environment is crucial for understanding their daily lives and socio-economic patterns, which, in turn, significantly influenced their interaction with the Greeks. This article examines the development of socio-political structures, particularly analysing how geographical features fostered or inhibited connections between communities at regional and supra-regional levels. The analysis of these socio-political structures aims to determine the extent to which macro-regional and regional political structures facilitated or impeded Greek interests in the Eastern Adriatic.