There are two things culture, (language and traditions), and DNA make up. The culture is a mix of Mycenaean, (earlier settlers and the Indo European invaders mi

There are two things culture, (language and traditions), and DNA make up. The culture is a mix of Mycenaean, (earlier settlers and the Indo European invaders mix (where the Greek language comes from), plus Minoan influence they gained after conquering the place. DNA Analysis makes it simple: https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-dfb70bfe098a81c7dc4e31aa71fe48c2-pjlq https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-dfb70bfe098a81c7dc4e31... Greeks, just like their neighbors, the Albanians, and Sardinians have the highest mix of Early Neolithic Farmers, then some West Hunter Gatherer, and some Yamnaya culture (probably that's where they got the Indo European language, that eventually became Greek). So, DNA wise, they are a mix of locals + some PIE invaders, that eventually became the Greek culture and language. This is a similar story to all European populations, but the mix % might change. As for culture, there are two hypothesis: The culture was already preformed, and the PIE setlers imposed it to the locals they invaded, or it just arised in place, when people mixed together. Same story with the Illyrians just up north. So far 2. wins, since there are still some Pre Indo European words that survive today (eg. Larissa, is not a Greek name, but it was of the people that were there before). Greek culture is something that rose overtime in that land, hence autochthonous, but the Indo European language won over the other local languages. A modern comparison would be something that happen to Latin America. Eg. Most modern Mexicans are a mix of the Spanish settlers, and the indigenous population, that created its own unique ethnicity. Ultimately the Spanish language won, even though the settlers were a minority. But the culture that arose is definitely not spanish, and it is a distinctive mix of both spanish and local traditions. A similar process happened with the European populations during the Bronze age.