In this book, Michael Loy utilizes “Big Data” and computational methods to investigate the Archaic Greek world, defined in this context as 700–500 BC. In doing so, the book highlights the potential for applying quantitative methods to datasets derived from “Big Digs” and already available published material.
Loy’s overarching methodology is to employ social network analysis (SNA) and spatial analysis techniques, such as proximal point analysis (PPA), to answer bigger social and economic questions. He leverages existing data—including original excavation reports, secondary catalogs, and online databases—to address broader research questions concerning the societal structures and economic patterns of early Greece. Specific questions focus on the organization of political communities, the roles of elites, and the application of modern economic analysis to ancient contexts.
A key element of Loy’s methodology is the use of SNA to examine material affiliations between sites as proxies for shared activities. This approach interprets the spatial distribution and co-occurrence of artifacts to reveal patterns of interconnectedness, identifying the building blocks of wider social networks. Although the core methodology is not entirely novel, the book’s innovative contribution lies in its large-scale application of these techniques to legacy data.
The main body of the book explores several case studies. Chapter 2 examines the distribution of bulk marble used for the creation of kouroi and korai statues. Using proximal point analysis (PPA) alongside SNA, Loy identifies major transport corridors and estimates the overall quantity of marble moved over time. This analysis provides insight into the economic scale and social embeddedness of the transportation of this high-value commodity.
In chapter 3, Loy investigates the distribution of Archaic ceramics across the Aegean over 50-year time spans. He uses a database of over 25,000 pottery pieces from 32 sites to create distribution maps. He analyzes ceramic attribute data through principal component analysis (PCA), which enables visualization of similarities among assemblages from different sites, revealing patterns of knowledge networks and production specialization over time. The combination of ceramic and marble analyses illuminates the emergence of entangled economic networks. This particular case study is perhaps limited by the decision to include only 32 sites from across the Aegean given that so many more have been published. Although it is true that publications vary in degree of ceramic assemblage detail, including only a relative handful of sites skews the interpretations significantly.
The study continues in chapter 4 by analyzing the rapid spread of coinage during the Archaic period. The author’s analysis uses weight standards and distribution networks, visually represented through network models, alongside the distribution of amphoras to illustrate the interconnectedness of economic networks. The analysis highlights how diverse interactions across different networks facilitated the rapid adoption of coinage. However, this study is again limited by using the same dataset of ceramics from chapter 3. Amphoras, in particular, have received much more attention and publication than bulk ceramics and should, I would argue, have their own dataset.
Finally, chapter 5 investigates epichoric alphabets as indicators of collective identities and political affiliations. By employing similarity matrices, Loy models the co-occurrence of various letter styles to identify community clusters. Network visualizations, based on shared letter shapes, reveal dynamic patterns of clustering that are not determined solely on the basis of geography. The author links these patterns to shifting identities and political affiliations; however, he acknowledges that a more explicit demonstration of this linkage is needed.
Chapter 6 situates the case studies in chapters 2, 3, 4, and 5 within a broader historical framework, analyzing historically documented political networks in light of the data-driven analysis. The overall outcome is a dynamic and multifaceted perspective on Archaic Greek economies and political systems, challenging traditional interpretations by offering a more fine-grained, bottom-up perspective.
Although the book offers valuable insights and methodological advancements, some limitations related to individual case studies—and specifically datasets—are here noted. The attempt at synthesizing so many large datasets is laudable and should serve as a good example of the possibilities for carrying these analyses even further and creating more robust datasets by adding recent publications and expanding the number of sites and assemblages included in analyses. In a similar vein, it is striking that the central Mediterranean region is entirely left out of these discussions given that this 200-year period is particularly noteworthy for the expansion of the Greek world into southern Italy and Sicily. It could be argued that limiting datasets to the Aegean—particularly those related to amphoras, coinage, and early writing—distorts all answers to Loy’s very relevant, bigger questions about Archaic social and economic networks (e.g., Arrington, Athens at the Margins: Pottery and People in the Early Mediterranean World, 2021).
In summary, Connecting Communities in Archaic Greece represents a significant contribution to the study of the Archaic Aegean and provides a good example of the types of bigger questions one can ask—and potentially answer—using data that are already available. The comprehensive analysis, detailed data visualizations, and insightful conclusions make it a valuable resource for scholars in classical archaeology and related fields.
