Dynamic Foundation Legends

Since time immemorial, not only migration to new lands have been standard patterns of human behaviour, but also the creation of narratives that commemorate founding heroes and provide aetiologies for topographical or cultural features. Most accounts still contain some historical information, others are entirely fictitious (think only of Romulus and Remus suckled by the she-wolf). Yet even the wildest fabrications articulate ethnic identity and inter-ethnic relations. The present research project is concerned with the identity constructs enshrined in such ancient foundation legends. Most of the Greek and Latin narratives that once existed can only be traced through widely dispersed fragments. Our knowledge is thus lacunose and often distorted through later lenses. Confronted with variants, scholars typically assume that an ‘original’ version either integrated all attested details (positivistic approach) or should be kept clean from later ‘inaccuracies’ (hypercriticism). In contrast, I understand foundation stories as living memory. New names or genealogical nuances often reflect changed views on ethnic identities or inter-ethnic relationships, which may respond to developments such as the intake of new immigrants, conflicts with neighbours, or more abstract religious or ideological innovation. The present project thus seeks to analyse foundation narratives of the ancient Greeks as they evolved through the ages and were adapted to new contexts.

We will further elaborate on the major historical turning points that provided new elements or plot twists. Most influential has been the ‘Athenian Turn’, with its hostile characterization of the ‘barbarian Other’ in the wake of the Persian Wars (5th c. BCE), arguably the strongest factor in erasing natives from the collective memory. The Macedonian kingdoms, the Roman Empire, and Christianity have also left their imprints on the genre. We will also consider how interactions between the lived experience and narrative traditions continued in early-modern colonial, Marxist, nationalist, and postcolonial contexts. As the relation between different ethnics in diverse communities is not only reflected in, but also influenced by legendary stories of origin, it is even more important to understand the mechanisms underlying their design and development. Our project will raise awareness of the power of storytelling in the past and present, and will encourage our own generation to become active in (re-) shaping traditional narratives expressing identity and belonging.

I am Professor of Classical Studies and Director of the Waterloo Institute of Hellenistic Studies. Research will be conducted in an interdisciplinary and international network. An application for a SSHRC grant is planned for 2026.

Fields of research

• Settlements, city foundations and refoundations in the Archaic, Classical, Greek, and Roman periods
• Narrative traditions of exploration, settlement, and origin
• Changing ethnic identities and hybridity
• Ideological turning points throughout world history
• Reception of the ancient Greeks and Romans