Guest post by Aikaterini-Iliana Rassia, Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2022-2023

Research topic during fellowship: Revisiting the Ancient Greek Inscriptions in the Archive of Stephanos A. Koumanoudes (1818-1899) in the National Library of Greece

Scattered inscriptions lying in ruins, whether found in their original archaeological setting or embedded within the walls of public buildings, houses, and in Orthodox churches or Muslim mosques, are preserved in the old notebooks of scholars who made a concerted effort to record, study and collect Greek inscriptions. It is easily forgotten, however, how deeply rooted the contribution of 19th-century scholars and travelers is in the rescue, preservation, and development of the first systematic study of Greek inscriptions. Even when we possess the complete narrative of an ancient historian, inscriptions recorded in archives are of great value in confirming or supplementing, or sometimes, clarifying the nuances of an ancient literary text. In this light, this research project focuses on the identification of the ancient inscriptions, as these are preserved in the archive of Stephanos A. Koumanoudes (1818-1899) in the National Library of Greece.

Stephanos A. Koumanoudes (1818-1899) was one of the most well-educated and prolific epigraphists of the 19th century who published hundreds of Greek and Latin inscriptions. His quick publication of many inscriptions, hermeneutic skillfulness, and concise and insightful comments made him one of the most eminent epigraphists of his time. The methodology that he established and applied in the treatment of the epigraphic texts has also influenced later scholars (e.g., Adolf Wilhelm). Even though Koumanoudes had received universal recognition as an intellectual and academic scholarly figure, his archival epigraphic papers had not been given the attention they deserved. The CHS fellowship in Hellenic Studies allowed me to study in detail his unpublished archival papers and notes on Greek and Latin inscriptions kept in his archive in the National Library of Greece. My research was hugely facilitated by having permission to access and use Harvard’s electronic library resources (e.g., epigraphic databases, specialized philological lexica, and electronic journals) all of which are not fully accessible. Access to these electronic databases was vital for identifying the squeezes and copies of the inscriptions and their cross-examination with the online epigraphic corpora.

One of the research challenges in this project was the identification of very fragmentary and unidentified inscriptions recorded in his notes. These vital epigraphic remarks were often based on his autopsy of the stones. For instance, his notes on the copies of the inscriptions preserved in his archive often preserve better readings, as often, with the passage of time, the inscribed surface is weathered, and many parts of the inscribed text become illegible. Significantly, it can also be observed that when his archival notes are correlated with other scholarly sources, the resulting findings are of impressive historical and epigraphic value. In December 2022, I had the opportunity to share these archival findings of my research with the resident fellows, as well as to work on my project in the excellent CHS library in Washington, D.C., which provides an ideal working environment. It was a real privilege to have the opportunity to communicate my research in such a welcoming academic research environment among researchers from related disciplines. I will always be truly grateful to the Center for Hellenic Studies for all the valuable support, without which this project would not have been possible.

About Aikaterini-Iliana Rassia

Aikaterini-Iliana Rassia is an ancient historian working on Greek inscriptions, religion, and social institutions of the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods. She received her BA in Archaeology & History of Art (2007) from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Afterward, she moved to London, where she conducted graduate studies in Classical Art & Archaeology (2007-2008) at the University of London and in Ancient History at King’s College London (2009-2010). Since receiving her Ph.D. from King’s College London (2016), she has held teaching positions at Royal Holloway (Visiting Lecturer in Ancient History) and King’s College London (Visiting Lecturer). In 2021-2022 she was a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Erfurt after being awarded a scholarship. Her forthcoming publications include peer-reviewed articles on Greek inscriptions and Greek religion, as well as a co-edited volume with Angelos P. Matthaiou on Attic Orators and Greek Epigraphy: Selected Papers of Alkis N.Oikonomides, Greek Epigraphic Society, Athens (to appear in 2023).

Early Career Fellowships in Hellenic Studies in Greece and Cyprus

The annual Early Career Fellowships in Hellenic Studies in Greece and Cyprus program aims to support postdoctoral researchers whose work requires continued access to material on site. Learn more about this research opportunity on the Early Career Fellowships in Hellenic Studies webpage.