Retracing Connections online research dialogue
Layers of Urban History: From Modern to Byzantine Athens through the Athenian Agora Excavations Archives
Published: 2024-04-23
The Swedish Institute at Athens and the Retracing Connections Research Programme invite you to the second Retracing Connections online research dialogue between speaker Fotini Kondyli (Virginia/Athens) and moderator Milan Vukasinovic (Uppsala), on the topic of
Layers of Urban History: From Modern to Byzantine Athens through the Athenian Agora Excavations Archives.
The Dialogue takes place online via Zoom on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 18.00 (Athens).
Abstract
Can modern urban experiences shape the way we understand Byzantine cities? In this talk, I will discuss the impact of modern urban experiences on the interpretation of Byzantine Athens, drawing from archaeological records and contemporary socio-economic phenomena. In doing so I follow two distinct story lines. Through an examination of the Athenian Agora Excavations Archives, I discuss how the excavation and recording of the Byzantine layers at the Agora informed narratives about Athens’ post-classical life and urban development. I then turn to contemporary experiences such as Greece’s economic crisis and Athen’s bottom-up urban projects in the crisis aftermath to highlight the relevance of contemporary experiences in enriching our understanding of Byzantine Athens’ spatial configuration and urban dynamics.
Warmly welcome!