List of ancient Greek tribes
The ancient Greek tribes were groups of Greek-speaking populations living in Greece, Cyprus, and the various Greek colonies. They were primarily divided by geographic, dialectal, political, and cultural criteria, as well as distinct traditions in mythology and religion. Some groups were of mixed origin, forming a syncretic culture through absorption and assimilation of previous and neighboring populations into the Greek language and customs. Greek word for tribe was Phylē and Phylai, the tribe was further subdivided in Demes roughly matching to a clan.
With the dominion of land passing on from one tribe to the other, cultural exchange through art and trade, and frequent alliances toward common goals, the ethnic character of the different tribes had become primarily political by the dawn of the Hellenistic period. The Roman conquest of Greece, the subsequent division of the Roman Empire into Greek East and Latin West, as well as the advent of Christianity, molded the common ethnic and political Greek identity once and for all to the subjects of the Greek world by the 3rd century AD.
Greek tribes
Late Bronze Age: Homeric Age of the Iliad (circa 1200 BC)
- Achaeans/Argives/Danaans /Hellenes/Panhellenes
- *Central and Eastern Greek tribes
- **Achaeans
- ***Central Greek tribes
- ****Aeolians
- *****Acarnanians, Pre-Dorian Acarnanians
- ******Dulichiumians/Doulicheis
- ******Taphians and Teleboans - in the Echinades Islands
- *******Taphians - in Taphos Island and other Echinades Islands
- *******Teleboans - Originally in the Mainland, after in Taphos Island and other Echinades Islands
- ******Cephallenians - Original dwellers of Cephalonia/Kefalonia, Ithaca, Leucas/Lefkada and Zakynthos
- *****Aenianes/Enienes - Pre-Dorian Aenianes of Aenis
- *****Boeotians
- ******Aones
- *****Curetes or Aetolians
- *****Dryopes - Pre-Dorian dwellers of Doris
- *****Locrians - Pre-Dorian Locrians
- *****Phoceans - Pre-Dorian Phoceans
- *****Thessalians
- ******Lapiths
- ******Myrmidons
- ******Perrhaebi
- ****Achaeans - Pre-Doric people of Peloponnese Peninsula
- *****Arcadians
- *****Argives - Pre-Doric people of Argos
- *****Epeans of Elis - Pre-Doric people of Elis
- *****Lacedaemonians - Pre-Doric people of Lacedaemonia, later doric Sparta
- *****Mycenaeans - Pre-Doric Myceneans, Mycenae was their main settlement
- *****Symians
- ***Eastern Greek tribes
- ****Ionians
- *****Oldest tribes
- ******Agikoreis
- ******Argadeis
- ******Geleontes
- ******Hopletes
- *****Attics
- ******Athenians
- *****Euboeans
- ******Abantes
- *****Salamineans
- *Western Greek tribes
- **Dorians?
- ***Oldest tribes
- ****Dymanes
- ****Hylleis
- ****Pamphylians
- ***Northwestern Doric Greek tribes?
- ****Epirotes ?
- *****Phaeacians - They lived in the island Scheria .
- **Magnetes
- Pre-Greek and Non-Greek peoples from whom some of the later Greek tribes claimed descent
- *Anatolians?
- **Caucones
- **Leleges
- **Telchines - Pre-Greek dwellers of Rhodes Island
- *Cadmeans
- *Eteocypriots - They lived scattered through Cyprus island.
- *Minoan Cretans
- **Eteocretans? - They lived in the eastern region of Crete island.
- **Bottiaeans? - They originally lived in Bottiaea, after Macedonian conquest many of them migrated to Bottike
- *Minyans
- *Pelasgians - They lived scattered through several regions of ancient Greece in enclaves.
- **Aethices/Aethikes - They lived on Mount Pindus and in the neighborhood of Mount Tomarus.
- **Attican Pelasgians - They lived in Attica in scattered communities. Later they were fully assimilated into an Attican Ionian Greek ethnic identity.
- **Crestones - They lived in Crestonia.
- **Cretan Pelasgians - They lived in parts of Crete island along with other peoples of the island: Eteocretans, Achaean and Dorian Greeks and the Cydonians.
- **Hellespontus Pelasgians - They lived in the Thracian Chersonesus and some parts on the coast of the other side of the Hellespontus or Dardanelles strait before the Thracian expansion and conquest of that peninsula.
- **Lemnian Pelasgians - They lived in Lemnos island, in the North Aegean Sea. They were conquered by Athens at the end of the 6th century BC and later assimilated into an Ionian Greek identity. Some of them moved to the peninsula's promontory of Actē.
- **Cynurians - They lived in Cynuria but it is not certain if Cynurians of East Peloponnese coast and Cynurians of the inland were the same people, two branches of an original people or even if they were directly related.
- ***Arcadian Cynurians/Inland Cynurians - They lived in far southwestern Arcadia, that was also called Parrhasia, around Mount Lykaion/Lycaeus.
- ***East Peloponnese Coastal Cynurians - They lived on the coast of eastern Peloponnese Peninsula, from the coast to the eastern slopes of Mount Parnon.
- **Hyantes Pelasgians - Former Pelasgians inhabitants of Boeotia, from which country they were expelled by the followers of Cadmus.
- **Pelasgiotes - They lived in Pelasgiotis.
- **Perrhaebi - They lived in Perrhaebia, Thessaly's northernmost district.
- **Propontis Pelasgians - They lived in some islands and parts of the southern coast of the Propontis, mostly in Cyzicus.
- **Samothracian Pelasgians - They lived in the island of Samothrace in the North Aegean Sea, south of Thrace. They were conquered by Athens at the beginning of the 5th century BC and later assimilated into an Ionian Greek identity.
- *Phrygians?
- **Bryges
- **Mygdones
- **Phrygians Proper
- *Phrygians? Thracians?
- **Pieres - They originally lived in Pieria, after Macedonian conquest many of them migrated to Pieris
Iron Age: Archaic and Classical Greece (from circa 800 BC)
- Hellenes
- *Central and Eastern Greek tribes
- **Achaeans - They lived in Eastern, East Central and Southern Greece before Dorian migrations or Dorian invasions. They spoke Mycenean Greek that was the ancestor of Aeolic, Arcado-Cypriot and Ionic Greek dialects of Classical Greece.
- ***Central Greek tribes
- ****Aeolians - They spoke Aeolic Greek dialects.
- *****Boeotians - They lived in Boeotia
- *****Dryopes - They lived in Dryopis, later known as Doris.
- *****Thessalians - They lived in Thessaly. Mount Olympus is on the border between Thessaly and Macedon.
- ******Achaeans, Phtiothis - They lived in Achaea Phthiotis.
- ******Dolopes? - They lived in Dolopia
- ******Histiaeoteans - They lived in Histiaeotis, Thessaly's Northwest district.
- ******Thessalians Proper - They lived in Thessaliotis.
- *****Aeolian Diaspora
- ******Asia Minor Aeolians - They lived in Aeolis, Northwestern Anatolian coast.
- ******Lesbians - They lived in Lesbos Island.
- ****Achaeans - They spoke Arcado-Cypriot Greek dialects.
- *****Arcadians - They lived in Arcadia and were a pre-Dorian invasion or Dorian migration Greek tribal confederation.
- ******Azanes
- ******Triphylians - They were a group of three tribes that lived in Western Peloponnese, in southern part of Elis but saw themselves as Arcadians and not Eleans.
- *******Amphidolians
- *******Letrinians
- *******Marganians
- *****Achaean Diaspora
- ******Cypriots - They lived in Cyprus Island
- ******Pamphylians - They lived in Pamphylia.
- ***Eastern Greek tribes
- ****Ionians - They spoke Ionic Greek dialects.
- *****Oldest tribes
- ******Agikoreis
- ******Argadeis
- ******Geleontes
- ******Hopletes
- *****Attics - They lived in Attica
- ******Aiantis
- ******Aigeis
- ******Akamantis/Acamantis
- ******Antiochis
- ******Erechtheis
- ******Hippothontis
- ******Kekropis
- ******Leontis
- ******Oineis
- ******Pandionis
- *****Euboeans - They lived in Euboea Island.
- ******Abantes
- ******Euboean Diaspora
- *******Chalcidicians, Euboean - They lived in the Peninsula of Chalcidicia.
- *******Catanians - They lived in Catania, Magna Graecia.
- *******Cumaeans - They lived in Cumae, that was founded by settlers from Euboea island in Magna Graecia. It was one of the Greek colonies that most influenced ancient Etruscan and Roman cultures, namely by the introduction of the Alphabet. Cumae by itself was the Metropolis of other poleis in southern Italy coast, including Nea Polis, today's Naples.
- ********Neapolitans - They lived in Naples.
- *****Ionians, Cycladian - They lived in Cyclades Islands. Delos Island that had the important Delos sanctuary was in this group of islands.
- ******Cycladian Diaspora
- *******Chalcidicians, Cycladian - They lived in the Peninsula of Chalcidicia.
- *****Salamineans - in Salamis/Salamina Island
- *****Ionian Diaspora
- ******Asia Minor Ionians - They lived in Ionia, Western Anatolian coast.
- *******Sirisians - They lived in Siris in Lucania/Basilicata eastern coast.
- *Western Greek tribes
- **Dorians - They spoke Doric Greek dialects.
- ***Northwestern Doric Greek tribes - They spoke North-West Doric Greek dialect
- ****Acarnanians, Northwestern Greek - They lived in Acarnania.
- ****Achaean Dorians - Many were Achaeans assimilated by Dorians. They spoke a Northwest Greek dialect but with a stronger Achaean Greek substrate. They spoke Achaean Doric Greek.
- *****Achaean Dorians of Peloponnese - They lived in Achaea .
- ******Achaean Dorians Diaspora
- *******Crotoneans - They lived in Crotone, Magna Graecia.
- *****Achaean Dorians of the Islands
- ******Doulicheis - Older dwellers of Leucas/Lefkada Island. Before Dorian Invasion or migration it was dwelt by Ionians.
- ******Ithacians - They lived in Ithaca Island. Before Dorian Invasion or migration it was dwelt by Ionians.
- ******Kefalloneis - They lived in Kephalonia Island. Before Dorian Invasion or migration it was dwelt by Ionians.
- ******Zakynthians - They lived in Zakynthos Island. Before Dorian Invasion or migration it was dwelt by Ionians.
- ****Aenianians - They lived in Aeniania/Ainis.
- ****Aetolians/Curetes - They lived in Aetolia.
- *****Aetolian Mountain tribes
- ******Agraeis
- ******Aperantoi
- ******Apodotoi
- ******Eurytanians - They lived in Eurytania/Evrytania.
- ******Ophioneis
- *****Dolopes? - They lived in Dolopia.
- ****Amphilochians - They lived in Amphilochia.
- ****Eleans - They lived in Elis. Olympia, were the Ancient Olympic Games were held was in Elis.
- ****Epirotes - They lived in Epirus.
- *****Atintanes
- *****Chaonians - They lived in Chaonia.
- ******Subtribes or Clans: Dassaretae
- *****Molossians - A tribal confederation. They lived in Molossis/Molossia.
- ******Amantes/Abantes/Avantes - They lived in Amantia. May have been a hellenized Illyrian tribe related to the Amantini.
- ******Apheidantes - They were named after king Apheidas.
- ******Arktanoi
- ******Athamanians - They lived in Athamania
- ******Dodonaioi or Selloi - Dodona sanctuary and oracle was in their land.
- ******Lyncestai They lived in Lynkestis.
- ******Orestaes - They lived in Orestis.
- ******Parauaei/Paroraioi - They lived in Parauaea, Northern Pindus Mountains.
- ******Paroraioi - They lived in the western slopes of Mount Tymphe, Northern Pindus Mountains.
- ******Pelagones - They lived in Pelagonia.
- ******Talares - They lived on Mount Pindus and in the neighborhood of Mount Tomarus.
- ******Tymphaeans - They lived in Tymphaea, eastern slopes of Mount Tymphe.
- *****Thesprotians - They lived in Thesprotia.
- ******Subtribes or Clans: Aegestaeoi; Chimerioi; Eleaeoi; Elinoi; Ephyroi; Elopes; Fanoteis; Farganaeoi; Fylates; Graeci; Ikadotoi; Kartatoi; Kassopaioi ; Kestrinoi; Klauthrioi; Kropioi; Larissaeoi; Onopernoi; Opatoi; Parauaioi; Tiaeoi; Torydaeoi.
- ****Locrians - They lived in Locris.
- ****Malians - They lived in Malia/Malis. Thermopylae was in their land.
- ****Oeteans - They lived in Oetaea, included Mount Oeta.
- ****Phoceans - They lived in Phocis. Delphi sanctuary and oracle was in their land.
- ***Dorians Proper They spoke Doric Greek dialects.
- ****Oldest tribes
- *****Dymanes
- *****Hylleis
- *****Pamphylians
- ****Argives - They lived in Argolis.
- ****Corinthians - They lived in Corinthia. Many Greek colonies were of Corinthian origin.
- *****Corinthian Diaspora
- ******Acarnanians, Dorians Proper - They lived in Acarnania.
- ******Ambracians - Descendants of a Corinthian colony. They lived in Ambracia.
- ******Kerkyreans/Corcyraeans - Descendants of a Corinthian colony. They lived in Kerkyra/Corfu..
- ******Leucadians - Descendants of a Corinthian colony. They lived in Leucas Island.
- ******Syracusans - They lived in Syracuse in South-East Sicily Island, Magna Graecia.
- ****Cretans - They lived in Crete Island.
- ****Cythereans - They lived in Cythera Island, south of Peloponnese Peninsula.
- ****Dorians - They lived in Doris. They were viewed as a people close to the land were Dorians originated - roughly south Epirus and Aetolia in Northwest Greece.
- ****Laconians - They lived in Laconia.
- *****Spartans-Lacedaemonians - They lived in Sparta/Lacedaemon a part of Laconia.
- ******Spartan Diaspora
- *******Tarantinoi - They lived in Taranto, Magna Graecia.
- ****Megareans - They lived in Megaris.
- ****Messenians - They lived in Messenia.
- ****Thereans - They lived in Thera/Thira Island.
- *****Therean Diaspora
- ******Cyreneans - Descendants from a Thera Island colony. They lived in Cyrene, Cyrenaica.
- ****Dorian Diaspora
- *****Doric Hexapolis
- ******Cnideans - They lived in Cnidus.
- ******Coans - They lived in Kos Island.
- ******Halicarnasseans - They lived in Halicarnassus.
- ******Rhodians - They lived in Rhodes Island.
- *******Camirians - They lived in Camirus.
- *******Ialysians - They lived in Ialysos.
- *******Lindians - They lived in Lindus.
- **Macedonians and Magnetes
- ***Macedonians - They lived in Ancient Macedonia and they spoke a version of the Doric dialect.
- ****Argeads - According to their oral tradition their tribe originally came from Argos, in Argolis, Eastern Peloponnese Peninsula .
- ****Elimiotai - They lived in Elimiotis/Elimeia.
- ****Eordeans - They lived in Eordaia.
- ***Magnetes - They lived in Magnesia. They were seen by ancient Greeks as a people that shared a common ancestor with the Macedonians.