5th Annual Research Workshop – Program and abstracts

Andreas Michalopoulos (Department of Philology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Guest Speaker of the 2020–21 CHS Greece Series of Events

Augustus, Memory, and the Past: From Imperial Rome to the Modern World

This talk explores how Augustan literature functioned as a vehicle of ideological transformation, advancing the political agenda of Octavian Augustus. Through the interplay of literature, material culture, ritual practice, and the management of collective memory, Augustus constructed a powerful narrative of Roman identity—one that redefined the past in order to legitimize the present and lay the foundations for a stable imperial future. The talk focuses on the politics of memory and highlights how history, when selectively framed and materially embedded in public space, becomes a potent instrument of governance.

Furthermore, it traces the afterlife of the Augustan model of memory management across European history—from the medieval reception of imperium and the Renaissance, to the political narratives of modern nation-states and totalitarian regimes. Finally, the talk raises pressing questions: Who controls collective memory? How does cultural heritage serve political ends? And what can we learn for our own present, in an era when history and memory have once again moved to the forefront of public discourse?

Sergios Menelaou (British School at Athens), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2024–25

Diachronic Connections and Shifting Networks: Prehistoric Interactions between the Northeast Aegean Islands and Other Regions

Pottery, a key indicator of technological and socio-economic change, offers valuable insights into social structures, craft practices, mobility, and connectivity. This presentation examines long-term connections between the northeast Aegean (Lemnos, Lesbos, Chios, Samos) and other regions – including the Cyclades, western Anatolia, mainland Greece, and Crete – during prehistory. A multilevel analysis of pottery from key island sites reveals shifting patterns of interaction across different periods, with particular emphasis on the third millennium BCE, corresponding to the Early Bronze Age (EBA)—a time of significant socio-political and economic transformation, often reflected in material culture. Toward the end of the EBA, the appearance of new ceramic traits across several regions has been interpreted through various theoretical frameworks, many of which emphasize the northeast Aegean islands as intermediaries in the technological and cultural transmissions from western Anatolia. However, the new data presented here suggest an alternative perspective: one that highlights the emergence of these islands as active hubs of maritime mobility, rather than passive conduits of external influence.

Angelos Gkotsinas (Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia, Greek Ministry of Culture), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2024–25

Intra-communal Organization in a Middle Helladic Settlement: Zooarchaeological Evidence from Platania, Phthiotis

The Middle Helladic period (ca. 2100/2000–1700/1600 BCE) marks a formative –though often underappreciated– chapter in the prehistory of mainland Greece. At Platania, a Middle Bronze Age settlement near the ancient coastline of the Maliakos Gulf, new zooarchaeological evidence sheds light on how local communities adapted to shifting cultural and environmental conditions during this transitional era.

This presentation draws on preliminary faunal analysis to examine patterns of animal exploitation, butchery, and food preparation, alongside strategies for waste and resource management. These practices provide valuable insights into the internal organization of the community –its domestic economies, spatial arrangements, and social dynamics– within a built environment marked by apsidal architecture and evolving funerary traditions. Although the analysis is ongoing, initial results reveal a community highly attuned to its ecological context and actively shaping its socioeconomic identity. This case study contributes to the broader discourse on pre-palatial complexity in Bronze Age Greece, challenging outdated narratives of stagnation and highlighting the dynamic foundations laid during this pivotal period.

Evgenia Tsafou (Irish Institute of Hellenic Studies at Athens), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2024–25

Uncovering the Archaeology of Food. Insights from the 3rd and 2nd Millennium BCE Aegean

The archaeology of food offers a powerful lens through which to explore the social, political, and environmental fabric of past civilizations. By examining plant and animal remains, cooking vessels, and food residues, we are able to reconstruct not only ancient diets but also the cultural meanings and power dynamics embedded in food practices. This paper explores the archaeology of food in Minoan contexts through an interdisciplinary analysis of ceramic cooking vessels, and cooking spaces in northern-eastern Crete during the Middle and Late Bronze Age. By situating food within the broader framework of Aegean socio-political structures, we see how culinary practices were deeply linked to expressions of identity and even social hierarchy. Through the study of Minoan cooking traditions, the aim is to better understand the socio-cultural aspects of cooking practices on the island of Crete and to reconstruct how everyday food relates to broader narratives of trade, innovation and identity. Ultimately, this study sheds new light on aspects of the origins of Mediterranean cuisine in the prehistoric Aegean.

Mateu Portells Watson (Department of History and Archaeology, University of Crete), CHS Pre–doctoral Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–26

Voluntary and Forced Migrants in the Transfer of Greek Language and Literature towards Rome (240 BCE – 212 CE)

The biographical tradition informs us about the lives of several bilingual ancient authors who were enslaved at some point during their literary careers. This is also the case of individuals credited with the foundation of Latin literary genres which were understood to be cultural translations of Greek equivalents, such as Livius Andronicus (roman drama, roman epic), Publilius Syrus (roman gnomic poetry), or Phaedrus (roman mythography). Thus, enslaved and formerly enslaved persons played a crucial role in the emergence of literary culture in Rome. During the late Republic and early Empire, the enslaved were key agents in the cultural transfer from the Greek-speaking eastern Mediterranean to Latin-speaking Rome.

This influx of enslaved intellectuals coexisted with the migration of freeborn individuals towards Rome. Among these voluntary migrants, we find Greek scholars that worked in from famous Hellenic cultural centers, distinguished individuals that were sought out by wealthy Romans to increase their cultural capital, and ambassadors on diplomatic missions. How did the experiences of these free migrants differ from those of literate enslaved persons that were taken to Rome against their will? And how did the coexistence of the two simultaneous, but radically different, patterns of mobility affect the development of Latin literature and of Greek literature in Rome?

Georgios Mouratidis (British School at Athens), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–26

The Materiality and Sociopolitical Context of Athletic Inscriptions during the Hellenistic and Imperial Periods

The proposed project will study the spatial and socio-political context of monuments set up by or for athletes during the Hellenistic and Imperial periods. Even though there has been an increasing recognition of the ubiquity of athletic statues and inscriptions, a systematic study of the spatial and socio-political context of athletic monuments is still lacking, although much historical insight could be gained by such an approach. In addition, the rich corpus of athletic inscriptions is often overlooked by epigraphists who focus on the materiality of inscriptions, resulting in a limited understanding of the greater historical context of this body of texts.

By exploring the materiality of athletic inscriptions and by asking new questions about their placement, presence, and perception, the proposed project aims to break new ground by showing how athletic inscriptions were not defined solely by their own structure, but also by other material and texts in their immediate vicinity or sometimes remote surroundings. Building on my earlier work on athletic inscriptions and the work of other epigraphists on the materiality of texts, this research will present a newly systematic vision of how we can read athletic inscriptions in their wider material and ideological contexts.

Panagiota Bantavanou (Department of History and Ethnology, Democritus University of Thrace), Pre-doctoral Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–26

Mapping the Practice of Cremation through Histological and Elemental Bone Analysis Combined with Ancient Descriptions

Cremation was a common burial practice in ancient Greece, especially during the Hellenistic (4th century–1st century BCE) and Roman (1st century BCE–3rd century CE) periods. The cremation process can be outlined through the study of the different morphological and chemical alterations that temperatures induce in human bones. Nowadays the technological advances have enabled the researchers to reconstruct biological profile of cremated individuals, as well as the burial practice of cremation.

The aim of this study is to explore the biological profile of cremated individuals and the conditions created by high temperatures, coupled with descriptions from ancient literature and historical references. For this, we showcased the ancient city of Thessaloniki and sampled 31 individuals (11 from the Hellenistic period and 20 from the Roman period) for histological and elemental analysis. Histological analysis was applied to determine age-at-death and temperature of cremation. “FTIR-ATR” analysis was utilized to identify patterns of cremations through the levels of carbonate combinations. Finally, information from the ancient literature was utilized to trail different practices during cremation and their effect on bones.

Giorgos Athanasiadis (Department of History and Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Pre-doctoral Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–26

The Roman Presence in Macedonia: Prosopographical Evidence from Thessaloniki, Capital of the Province

Following the battle of Pydna in 168 BCE, the Antigonid kingdom was annexed to the Roman state, while in 148 BCE, after Andriskos’ unsuccessful rebellion, the province of Macedonia was founded. These events mark the arrival and establishment of Romans in Macedonia, notably negotiatores and magistrates who assumed the administration of the region. This paper examines the gradual settlement of Romans and Italians in Thessaloniki as well as the granting of civitas Romana to the local population. Based on the prosopographical database created in the framework of my research, I will attempt to trace how certain families acquired Roman citizenship, so as to highlight the networks that were developed between Romans and locals. The social status and public activity of these individuals will also be examined through selected case studies. Finally, a comparison with data from other Macedonian cities will allow the identification of similarities and differences in the process of acquiring the civitas Romana and will highlight potential special patterns in the case of Thessaloniki.

Georgios Koukovasilis (Department of History and Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2024–25

Honorific Practices in Roman Greece: The Case of a Statue of Regilla in the Agora of Corinth

The regular erection of public statues in honour of leading members of the elite was a widespread practice in Roman Greece. This paper focuses on a monument from the agora of Corinth, which was set up in honour of Annia Regilla, wife of Herodes Atticus. This dedication is exemplary of the ways in which honorific statues of the period were situated within the mnemonic landscape of Greece. Drawing on archaeological data, epigraphic evidence, and the sacred topography of Corinth, this study offers a new interpretation of the motives behind the dedication of this illustrious Roman matron's image. It explores how the medium of portraiture contributed to the construction and control of collective memory.

Özge Acar (Independent Scholar), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–26

Exploring Locality in the Intellectual Sphere of Roman Caria

Just as modern societies grapple with the tension between global integration and local identity, ancient communities in the Roman period navigated similar challenges. In this context, the intellectual sphere emerges as a particularly revealing domain for understanding how local identity was maintained or expressed. This paper explores the articulation of local identity through intellectual production in Roman Asia Minor, with a particular focus on the region of Caria. As a culturally rich and historically complex area, Caria offers a valuable case study for examining how local actors engaged with both local and imperial issues. Carian intellectuals were active across various genres, including scientific treatises, universal histories, and local historiography, producing both written and oral forms of expression. Their diverse output provides fertile ground to investigate how they negotiated between local traditions and the broader cultural frameworks of the Roman Empire. The study seeks to assess the extent to which Carian intellectuals addressed local concerns, contributed to shared imperial narratives, or struck a balance between the two.

Aikaterini Peppa (Archivist at the French School at Athens), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–26

Technology, Skills and Necessity in Non-Specialist Ceramic Production

In premodern societies, ceramics were not only essential commodities but also an indicator of household consumption and perhaps of the economic dynamics of the household. While the invention of the potter’s wheel marked a major technological innovation, archaeological discourse often adopts a linear narrative of the evolution of ceramic production—from handmade vessels to wheel-thrown forms. But what happens when this technological trajectory is reversed? Why, in certain contexts, do communities revert to older, simpler techniques?

This proposal examines cases of non-specialist ceramic production from the medieval times to the Εarly modern period. In these contexts, pottery-making became an everyday or survival skill, shaped more by accessibility, necessity, and socio-economic environment than by craft tradition or formal training. These practices reflect flexible, adaptive household economies. Cooking and utilitarian wares dominate the archaeological record—minimal forms meeting essential needs. By examining the skills of non-potters, this paper reconsiders the boundaries of craft knowledge and expertise, and highlights how pottery production outside professional contexts, has, in many cases, functioned as a resilience strategy.

Chrysa Theologou (Department of Philology, University of Ioannina), Fellow in Philhellenism 2024–25

The Reception of the Philhellenic Movement on the Occasion of the Greek-Turkish War of 1897 by the Press and Literature—A first approach

The movement of philhellenism that reached its peak on the occasion of the revolution of 1821 has aroused the intense interest of scholars. However, less known is the development of the movement –after its decline with the end of the revolution– on the occasion of the so-called “unfortunate” Greek-Turkish war of 1897. As the press in this period was flourishing, the study of the reception of philhellenism through its pages is of particular interest. The aim of the presentation is to answer questions concerning the extent of the philhellenic movement, the forms that it took as well as its reception by Greek society at the end of 19th century by examining a representative number of newspapers both in Greece and in America. Moreover, the positive impression that the Greek struggle once again made on a global scale was also reflected in literature, and indeed to some extent by writers who came to Greece also as correspondents of foreign newspapers. Therefore, a second aim of the presentation is to highlight, through literary representation, both the philhellenic feelings of foreign writers and the reception of philhellenic activity by Greek writers.

Yannis Stamos (Department of Language and Intercultural Studies, University of Thessaly), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–26

Hybrid Pasts: Sparta, Athens, and Modernity under the Metaxas Dictatorship

The presentation explores how the Metaxas dictatorship in interwar Greece appropriated the classical paradigms of Sparta and Athens through a hybridized reception of antiquity via contemporary ideologies of biopolitics and nationalism, as well as civilizational discourses rooted in Eurocentric and colonial frameworks. Examining the regime’s mobilization of Spartan models –discipline, youth training, collective self-sacrifice– in direct connection with fascist and hygienist discourses of the period, the paper shows how a multilayered reception of antiquity shaped by modern science and authoritarian politics provided a template for forging a “new Greek”. Additionally, it analyzes how the regime narrowed the reception of Athens, displacing its associations with democracy and employing it exclusively as a touchstone of civilizational status and global recognition. This becomes particularly evident in high-profile international events, such as the 1939 New York World’s Fair and the Royal Theater’s European tour, where the regime showcased Athenian culture as a marker of Greece’s place in Eurocentric hierarchies of civilization and modernity. Through these case studies, the paper demonstrates that the regime’s use of antiquity was fundamentally shaped through the entanglement of the past with the anxieties and ambitions of its own time.

Artemi Papandritsa (Department of Archives, Library Science and Museology, Ionian University), Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2024–25

MuTourIn: Breaking Down Walls—Culture as a Force of Freedom

MuTourIn was not merely a research project; it was an act of faith in the power of culture to carve paths to freedom, even in the most inaccessible places. Guided by the legacy of ancient Greece, the program brought art, philosophy, democracy, and the values that underpin Western civilization into Correctional Facilities. Participants -individuals confronting their own limits- were given the opportunity to rediscover the power of dialogue, critical thinking, and personal growth. Through virtual museum tours and live discussions, MuTourIn shattered the chains of social exclusion and built bridges of understanding, self-improvement, and hope. This program reminds us that cultural heritage does not belong to a privileged few. It belongs to everyone, and challenges us to reimagine prisons not as places of punishment, but as platforms for transformation and new beginnings.

Giannis Perperidis (Department of History and Digital Humanities, Ionian University), Fellow in AI Ethics 2025–26

Towards a Reframing of AI Ethics

Contemporary discourse is increasingly preoccupied with the potential harms of AI—ranging from environmental degradation to surveillance, labor displacement, and threats to democratic processes. Crucially, many critiques highlight not merely unethical applications of AI, but the structural conditions of its design that give rise to such outcomes. This prompts a deeper question: can AI, as currently developed, ever be truly ethical? Ethical frameworks for AI often rely on legal or regulatory mechanisms aimed at controlling its use. While these efforts are necessary, they are frequently insufficient. They tend to overlook the sociotechnical dynamics that shape AI’s development and rarely respond to the values of the actors with the power to influence its design. In this talk, I argue for an alternative approach—grounding AI ethics within a broader politics of technology. A truly ethical AI must be the product of open design processes, marked by transparency and the meaningful participation of affected communities (a clearly political stake). Drawing on the concept of the commons at the intersection of AI ethics and the politics of technology, my research explores whether values such as openness, democratic governance and bottom-up decision-making can be embedded in AI’s development—and whether such values are capable of rendering AI ethical in a substantive sense.