# Completion of the CHS Greece 2026 Research Workshop September 28, 2026 ![Group portrait of the workshop participants outside the CHS Greece building in Nafplio, between two palm trees.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/2026-09/ARW2026-5.jpeg) The 6th [Annual Research Workshop](/workshops/annual-research " Annual Research Workshop") of Harvard University's Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece (CHS Greece) was held successfully in Nafplio from September 4 to 6, 2026. The workshop brought together 16 fellows based in Greece, as well as other researchers affiliated with CHS Greece, representing different disciplines of the humanities. Over the course of the three days, the participants presented aspects of their research in progress, discussed the methodological and interpretive questions it raises, and exchanged ideas and comments in a particularly productive and collaborative atmosphere. At the same time, they had the opportunity to take part in group activities outside the session room, strengthening communication, interaction, and mutual acquaintance. ![A man and a woman seated at a table during a presentation, closing slide projected behind them.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-09/ARW2026-1.jpeg?itok=qHd46Y6M) Opening presentation by Christos Tsironis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and Eleni Fassa (Democritus University of Thrace).The workshop was coordinated by Evan Katsarelis (CHS Greece) and Eleni Fassa (Democritus University of Thrace). The program of presentations was organized into five thematic sessions, which covered a broad chronological, thematic, and interdisciplinary range, highlighting the diversity of research interests within the CHS Greece community. The workshop started with the opening presentation by the guest speaker Christos Tsironis, who discussed the role of the humanities and the social sciences in the age of artificial intelligence. Particular emphasis was placed on the new epistemological and ethical challenges raised by the mass production of data and answers, as well as on the need for a critical approach, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the responsible use of new technologies. ![Participants seated in the CHS Greece lecture hall during a session; the projected slide reads "Claudius and Greek culture."](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-09/ARW2026-2.jpeg?itok=knh7-nbv) Presentation of research topics by the fellows.The first session, "Traces of Presence and Legacies of Memory: Votive Offerings, Inscriptions, and Traditions," focused on the material and epigraphic expressions of memory. Aphrodite Vlachou presented the bronze votive offerings from the sanctuary of Apollo Amyklaios and their significance for the cultic life of early Sparta; Androniki Oikonomaki examined the archaic rupestral graffiti at Cape Samonion and the possibilities for their digital documentation, offering new interpretations; while Georgios Tsolakis analyzed family tradition and ancestral memory as social and political capital in the Greek polis. The second session, "Body, Discourse, and Power: Aspects of Cultural Experience in the Imperial Period," comprised Konstantinos Fakkas's study of the emperor Claudius's relationship with Greek culture, Christos Frosynakis's narratological approach to the character building of Laocoon in the *Posthomerica* of Quintus Smyrnaeus, and Angeliki Oikonomou's research on ritual gait in the Greek magical papyri through the lens of embodied cognition. ![Participants seated in a circle in the CHS Greece lecture hall for the discussion following a session.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-09/ARW2026-6.jpeg?itok=fIqb_bEW) Dialogue and exchange of views among the researchers.The third session was devoted to landscape archaeology. Gerasimos Trasanis examined the fortified sites and the mountain landscape of Grevena, Faidon Moudopoulos-Athanasiou the sacred forests of Northwestern Greece, and Ioannis Nakas the maritime cultural landscape of Roman Epirus. The fourth session focused on ancient philosophy. Dafni Argyri examined the concept of organic matter in Aristotle, while Ermioni Prokopaki explored the relationship between epistemology and the philosophy of mind in Plato and Aristotle. ![Guided tour of the Ethnological Museum of Nafplio, participants gathered around display cases and traditional costumes.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-09/ARW2026-4.jpeg?itok=TKTXIOiP) Visit of the researchers to the Ethnological Museum of Nafplio (Basil Papantoniou Foundation).The fifth and final session addressed interlanguage contact. Michail Marinis studied morphological borrowing between Greek and Turkish, while George Kotzoglou compared syntactic structures of Greek, Turkish, and Arabic, shedding light on different aspects of linguistic interaction and of the shaping of language systems. The presentations were accompanied by discussions at the end of each session, offering the participants a substantive space for the exchange of views and for scholarly dialogue. These discussions contributed to the development of new lines of inquiry, the elaboration of different methodological approaches, and the formation of possible new collaborations. See more details about the [list of the people who participated and their presentations in the complete program of the 6th Research Workshop](/workshops/annual-research-2026/program "6th Annual Research Workshop – Program and abstracts"). ![The workshop group photographed on the beach at dusk, with the gulf behind them.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-09/ARW2026-3.jpeg?itok=tqO-vXkV) Excursion of the researchers to the sea.In addition, the workshop program was complemented by a series of activities outside the CHS Greece facilities. These activities enriched the workshop experience and created opportunities for informal conversation, further acquaintance, and stronger ties among the members of the research community. The program included a day trip to a prehistoric cave, a visit and wine tasting at a winery in the area, a tour of the Ethnological Museum of Nafplio, an excursion to the sea, as well as group meals. Through these activities, Nafplio and the wider region functioned not only as a host location but also as a living field of exploration, encounter, and exchange of experiences. The Annual Research Workshop holds a distinctive place among the activities of CHS Greece, as it combines the presentation and discussion of research with the creation of a genuine community among its members. It offers the researchers affiliated with the Center in Greece the possibility to meet in person, to present their work, and to learn about the research directions of other members of the community, highlighting the importance of personal contact, collaboration, and interdisciplinary exchange. See also:- [ Events & Conferences ](/activities-type/events-conferences) - [ Workshop Series ](/activities-type/workshops) - [ Modern Greece ](/activities-field/modern-greece) - [ Classics ](/activities-field/classics) - [ Post-doc researchers ](/target-audience/post-doc-researchers) - [ Pre-doc researchers ](/target-audience/pre-doc-researchers) - [ Researchers ](/target-audience/researchers) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)