The Peloponnese and Nafplio before and during the Greek Revolution
About the workshop
Key information
- Title: The Peloponnese and Nafplio before and during the Greek Revolution
- Dates: December 13-14, 2025, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
- Location: CHS Greece, Nafplio
- Organized by: CHS Greece, Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation (IHR/NHRF)
- Open to: All (limited number of places)
- Application period: October 17-November 16, 2025
- Academic coordination: Dimitris Dimitropoulos and Elias Kolovos (Research Directors, Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation)
- Activity administration: Matina Goga (CHS Greece)
- Contact number and email: (+30) 27520 47030, int. line 1, matina.goga@chs.harvard.edu
Overview
Harvard University's Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece and the Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation organize the workshop "The Peloponnese and Nafplio before and during the Greek Revolution." CHS Greece, through its annual workshop series, aims to support Hellenic Studies and the broader field of Humanities, and to offer intergenerational, interdisciplinary, lifelong learning opportunities to the public.
In this workshop, drawing on archival evidence from the period, we will discuss the social and economic life of the town of Nafplio and the wider Peloponnese, along with the spatial organization, the living conditions, and the relations between Christians and Muslims during the pre-revolutionary and revolutionary years. The selected narrative and other sources, which will be presented and discussed with the participants, will provide insights into the everyday life of people under Ottoman rule in the Peloponnese at the time, as well as the changes brought about by the Greek Revolution and the establishment of the Greek state. Our aim is to familiarize participants with the content, language, and writing style of historical sources from the period.
Thematic areas – structure
The approach to the topic will be organized around the following thematic axes:
- The history of the Peloponnese under Ottoman rule: key points
- The notables ("proestoi") of the Morea before the revolution
- The transition: the character of the Greek Revolution
- Historical evidence, the nature and problems of the sources
- Living conditions and the daily life of the people
Ten days before the workshop, participants will receive relevant reading material that they may optionally study in advance.
On the second day of the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to take part in a walking activity. We will all stroll around Nafplio to visit and study the Ottoman fountains and their inscriptions (currently under publication by Giorgos Liakopoulos and Elias Kolovos), and we will end up at the Vouleftiko, the mosque that was repurposed to house the revolutionary Parliament, where we will discuss the transition from the Ottoman to the modern Greek reality.
Accessibility
The Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its workshops and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please email matina.goga@chs.harvard.edu or call (+30) 27520 47030 and then press "1," in advance of your participation. Requests for accommodations should be made as far in advance as possible. We will explore each request on a case-by-case basis. However, please note that all services are subject to availability.