historyfilia:

Greeks in pre-Roman Gaul

Gyptis and Protis (1874) by Joanny Rave

The oldest
city within modern France, Marseille, was founded around 600 BC by Greeks from the
Asia Minor city of Phocaea as a trading post or emporion under the name Μασσαλία
(Massalia).

A
foundation myth reported by Aristotle in the 4th century BC as well as by Latin
authors, recounts how the Phocaean Protis (son of Euxenus) married Gyptis (or
Petta), the daughter of a local Segobriges king called Nannus, thus giving him
the right to receive a piece of land where he was able to found a city. The
contours of the Greek city have been partially excavated in several
neighborhoods. The Phocaean Greeks introduced the cult of Artemis, as in their
other colonies.

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