From Sparta to Lacedaemon: Daily Lifeways of a Byzantine City, British School at Athens and Zoom, May 3, 2023
This international symposium aims to bring together multifocal viewpoints to analyse the social and economic dynamics of Lacedaemon, as Sparta was known in post-classical periods. Combining archaeological, numismatic and textual sources, the papers presented in this symposium will shed light on the settlement trajectory of Sparta from Late Antiquity to the 14th century AD. Topics related to trade patterns, economic, social values and cultural identification will be discussed. Mutually informing research questions that the papers can address are:
- Q. 1 How was the ancient city of Sparta reconfigured in the Late Antique and Byzantine period? What was the role of the ancient monuments in the post-classical city? How was the religious landscape defined in Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods?
- Q. 2. What economic activities took place in the city? What type of crafts and trade took place in Sparta? How far was Sparta part of a regional and supra-regional trade network?
Finally, Sparta will also be related to the Laconian rural landscape to give an overview of the relationship between the city and its hinterland.
Advance registration required.