Massalia

Settled by the Ionians from Phocaea in 600 BC, this apoikia grew up rapidly, and its population set up many outposts for trading in modern-day Spain, Corsica and Liguria.

[7] Archaeological evidence, in the form of amphora fragments, indicate that the Greeks were producing wine in the region (Provence) soon after they settled.

[4] During the Roman and Late Antique periods, the city, then known as Massilia in Latin, remained a major center of maritime trade.

An assembly of 600 timouchoi, whose membership was conditioned to the involvement in trading activities, elected 15 magistrates, 3 of them with executive power.

[9][10][11] The Romans on the other hand had a more positive view of the city as a bastion of Greek civilisation in barbarian lands,[12][13] and as a loyal ally of Rome.

According to the authors, these results suggest "a Greek male elite-dominant input into the Iron Age Provence population".