Ce travail porte sur une région correspondant au bassin de Serrès dont on suit les limites naturelles ; le relief lui conférant une forte cohérence géographique. La délimitation chronologique tient compte des dynamiques historiques et humaines locales. Jusqu’au milieu du IVe s. av. J.-C., la région, peuplée initialement de Thraces , a reçu des apports grecs liés au mouvement de colonisation archaïque, puis à connu les impérialismes perse et athénien. Elle a alors constitué un espace morcelé par les intérêts conflictuels des différentes populations. S’ensuit une période plus unitaire, de 357 av. J.-C. à la fin de la séquence, puisque la région est d’abord incorporée au royaume de Macédoine avant d’être ensuite intégrée à l’Empire romain. L’objectif originel de la géographie historique était la localisation de toponymes. Le premier enjeu est donc d’établir un bilan de la connaissance relative à chacune de ces occupations à l’échelle locale et de tenir compte des apports récents des observations archéologiques. Cependant, l’espace antique n’est plus observé uniquement à l’échelle du site. L’archéologie du territoire et la recherche sur les paléo-environnements ont invité à une lecture scalaire plus large. Envisagés à l’échelle régionale, les sites constituent un réseau. Cela conduit non plus seulement à se demander où sont les toponymes mais aussi comment ils s’articulent, pour comprendre jusqu’à quel point elles ont pu former un ensemble régional homogène ou non, de déterminer les logiques naturelles et humaines à l’oeuvre, et de pointer les étapes qui ont jalonné cette construction. / This work concerns a region corresponding to the basin of Serres. We follow the natural limits ; the topography giving a strong geographical coherence. The chronology takes into account local historic and human dynamics. Until 357 BC, the region, populated initially of Thracians, received Greek contributions associated with the movement of archaic colonization, then is affected by the Persian and Athenian imperialisms. The basin of Serres is at that time a space split by the conflicting interests of the various populations.After 357 BC, a more unitarian period begins, because the region is incorporated at first in the Macedonian Kingdom before being integrated in Roman Empire. The first goal of historical geography was the localization of place names. The first issue, therefore, is to take stock of the knowledge of each of these settlements at the local level and to take into account recent reports of archaeological observations. However, the ancient space is no longer observed only at the site level. Landscape studies and research on palaeo-environments have invited a wider scale reading. Envisaged at regional level, the sites constitute a network. This also leads us to wonder not only where the names are but how they are articulated, in order to identify the way in which these sites have interacted, to understand if they have formed a homogeneous regional whole or not, to determine the natural and human logics at work, and to point out the stages that have marked this construction.

This dissertation discusses logistical aspects of the Persians invasion of Greece; the Athenian need for timber for building warships; supply problems in their assault on Syracuse; and the march of Alexander's army from Macedonia into Asia. The amount of cereals needed by the Persian and Greek armies and navies is calculated from modern nutritional data and an estimate of the numbers of combatants. The location and size of the Persian food dumps; the excavation of the Athos canal; and the ships and materials needed to build the bridges of boats are considered. The Athenian need for ship-timber led to the costly occupation of Amphipolis. An assured supply of cereals was one motive for the disastrous Sicilian Expedition. The Athenian fleet was an inefficient long-range support for an army which had to protect its non-combatant sailors. This was realised by Alexander the Great, who crossed the Hellespont without naval support. / Classics and Modern European Languages / M.A. (Classics)

This dissertation discusses logistical aspects of the Persians invasion of Greece; the Athenian need for timber for building warships; supply problems in their assault on Syracuse; and the march of Alexander's army from Macedonia into Asia. The amount of cereals needed by the Persian and Greek armies and navies is calculated from modern nutritional data and an estimate of the numbers of combatants. The location and size of the Persian food dumps; the excavation of the Athos canal; and the ships and materials needed to build the bridges of boats are considered. The Athenian need for ship-timber led to the costly occupation of Amphipolis. An assured supply of cereals was one motive for the disastrous Sicilian Expedition. The Athenian fleet was an inefficient long-range support for an army which had to protect its non-combatant sailors. This was realised by Alexander the Great, who crossed the Hellespont without naval support. / Classics and Modern European Languages / M.A. (Classics)