Abdera in Thrace: The polis Foundation Ideology in the Literary Sources

The present text examines one of the best-documented foundation myths in the written sources of Thrace: that of the eponymous and mythical founder of Aegean Abdera, Abderos. The preserved texts not only allow us to outline the main characteristics of the myth and the qualities of the eponymous hero but also provide an opportunity to trace the development of the myth over the centuries and its transformation in accordance with the demands and needs of society. And this transformation can also be drastic. Thus, starting as a Persian or more likely Phoenician figure, Abderos was later transformed into a Hellenic, initially maritime, hero, who was subsequently incorporated into Heracles’ Eighth Labor, and finally even closely associated with the Thracians. These transformations clearly reveal the myth of the eponymous hero as one of the central, if not the most important, myth after that of the historical figure. It serves as a means for a portion of the society and the elite to seek their identity, while also functioning as a unifying narrative for the diverse colonial community. And consequently, it is a prime example per excellence of the presence of constructivism in the foundation myth.